Purpose: To evaluate how students viewed the usefulness of virtual resources offered during the rapid evolution of distance learning that occurred during the COVID 19 pandemic. Then compare NBME shelf scores for students before and after the use of these resources.
Background: During the COVID19 pandemic, students were removed from hospitals to minimize infection risk and to conserve personal protective equipment. At many institutions, this change resulted in an increase in online learning resources. Traditional undergraduate medical education (UME) dictates clinical rotations followed by examinations for medical student performance evaluation. Some data exists comparing online to in-person learning in healthcare, thus far finding little difference. No prior studies have compared test scores in undergraduate level medical students having learned online versus in the hospital. The effectiveness of online learning is relevant to the field of UME given a recent recognized reduction in opportunities for students to gain and practice knowledge in clinical settings alone.
Methods: Students whose clinical experiences were converted to virtual resources due to COVID 19 curricular changes were asked to rank resource usefulness using a Likert scale survey. In a retrospective case-control analysis, OB/Gyn NBME shelf scores of these students were compared to classmate\'s OB/Gyn shelf scores who completed traditional rotations prior to the COVID 19 changes. Analysis included descriptive and inferential statistics. An independent t-test was used to compare scores between delivery methods.
Results: Student comments and survey scores for virtual resources, including institution specific interactive on-line teaching sessions and APGO quizzes, videos and teaching cases, were favorable. Generally, students indicated resources were easy to use and helpful for exam preparation. There were no statistically significant differences observed in exam scores based upon learning delivery methods.
Discussions: It is reassuring that overall student scores were not adversely impacted by the short-term need to reduce in-person clinical experiences. We hope to use what we have learned during this tumultuous time to make recommendations for future medical school curricula. As one student commented on our survey, “we got much better teaching than happens in the OR and had better views.” Changes implemented during the pandemic may ultimately benefit and augment our student’s learning.
Topics: CREOG & APGO Annual Meeting, 2021, Student, Faculty, Clerkship Director, Clerkship Coordinator, Medical Knowledge, UME, Assessment, Lecture, Independent Study, General Ob-Gyn,
Katherine Strafford, MD, The Ohio St.,ate University Wexner Medical Center; R. Kate Byron, MD; Nicole Verbeck, MPH; Philip Samuels, MD; Jonathan Schaffir, MD
