Dataset Information

Challenges of peer assisted learning in online clinical skills training of ophthalmology module.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Online communication has taken over in the last 2 years due to the frequent lockdowns because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Overburdened physicians in this pandemic are struggling to get enough time to teach clinical skills online to the students. Also, due to student's safety issues, the students cannot fully attend the clinics. Therefore, in this scenario, online PAL (Peer Assisted Learning) sessions for clinical skill teaching and learning can be an effective alternative for undergraduate medical students. The academic limitations caused by the COVID-19 related lockdown however can have a pleasurable outcome if certain challenges, related to online PAL, are overcome. Therefore, the present study aims to identify the challenges of Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) sessions during online clinical skills training in the Ophthalmology module of undergraduate medical students.

Methods

This qualitative exploratory study, utilizing online focus group discussions to explore the challenges of online PAL in training and learning of clinical skills were carried at the Ophthalmology department of Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah; Saudi Arabia. A purposive convenient sampling technique was used to collect data. Data were transcribed and analyzed using thematic analysis.

Results

The study identified six themes that were further divided into smaller subthemes. The subthemes derived from the collected data were organized under the following major themes; infrastructure, learning environment, psychological problems, interaction deficit, learning desires, and desire for feedback on performance. The major challenge reported by the medical student during online PAL sessions was infrastructure in terms of network connection, scheduling, and timing of the session. The unprofessional learning environment, psychological problems in terms of behavioral issues and personality changes, interaction deficit with peers, tutor, and patient, learning desires, and desire for feedback on performance were the other important challenges faced by the students.

Conclusion

The challenges explored by our study can be used by the medical educators to incorporate online PAL as an effective, efficient, and alternative teaching and learning modality in the curriculum especially in compromised circumstances like the current COVID-19 pandemic.

SUBMITTER: Nisar S

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8512649 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:IntroductionOnline teaching has rapidly emerged as a viable alternative to traditional face-to-face education. How to teach surgical skills in the online environment, however, has not yet been fully established nor evaluated.MethodsAn international 1-day online surgical skills course consisting of lectures, pre-recorded virtual workshops, live demonstrations and along with surgical skills teaching in breakout rooms was organised. Based on existing learning theories, new methods were developed to deliver skills teaching online. Simultaneously, traditional in-person surgical skills teaching was also conducted and used as a benchmark. Skills development was assessed by trained demonstrators and self-reported competency scores were compared between the online and face-to-face event.Results553 delegates from 20 different countries attended the online course. Of these, 64 were trained in breakout rooms with a 1:5 demonstrator-to-delegate ratio whilst the remaining 489 delegates participated in didactic skills development sessions. In a separate face-to-face course, 20 delegates were trained with traditional methods. Demonstrators rated the competency of delegates for suturing, tendon repair and vascular anastomosis. There was no significant difference in the competency ratings of delegates receiving online teaching or face-to-face teaching (p = 0.253, p = 0.084, p = 1.00, respectively). The development of the same skills to "articulation" were not different between formats (p = 0.841, p = 0.792, p = 1.00, respectively). Post course self-rated competency scores improved for all technical skills (p < 0.001). Small group sessions, both online and face-to-face, received higher satisfaction ratings compared to large group sessions in terms of clarity of instructions, answers to questions and demonstrator feedback. Overall feedback on teaching quality, however, was equivalent across both groups.DiscussionOnline teaching of surgical skills for early training years is an appropriate alternative to face-to-face teaching.