Dataset Information

COVID-19 and medical education in Africa: a cross sectional analysis of the impact on medical students.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The African continent currently experiences 25% of the global burden of disease with only 1.3% of the world's healthcare workers. The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption to medical education systems, increasing the strain on already-vulnerable regions. Our study examines the impact of COVID-19 on medical students across 33 countries in the African continent.

Methods

A 39-item anonymous electronic survey was developed and distributed to medical students across Africa through social networks to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education. The survey assessed the domains of: class structure changes and timing, patient interactions, exam administration, learning environment satisfaction, mental health impacts, and volunteer opportunities/engagement.

Results

694 students across 33 countries participated. 80% of respondents had their classes suspended for varied lengths of time during the pandemic, and from these students 59% of them resumed their classes. 83% of students felt they were in a supportive learning environment before the pandemic, which dropped to 32% since the start. The proportion of students taking exams online increased (6-26%, p<0.001) and there was a decrease in the proportion of students seeing patients as a part of their education (72-19%, p<0.001).

Conclusions

COVID-19 is harming medical students in Africa and is likely to worsen the shortage of the future's healthcare workforce in the region. Pandemic-related impacts have led to a degradation of the learning environment of medical students. Medical schools have shifted online to differing degrees and direct patient-care in training of students has decreased. This study highlights the urgent need for flexible and innovative approaches to medical education in Africa.

SUBMITTER: Bernard A

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8654489 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

ACCESS DATA

Similar Datasets

Project description:BackgroundSince the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the education of medical students, medical faculties have faced the challenge of adapting instruction to digital platforms. Although medical students are willing to support pandemic response efforts, how the crisis will affect their medical training remains uncertain. Thus, in this study, we investigated the teaching- and learning-related stressors and expectations of medical students in Germany during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsA cross-sectional survey was distributed online to undergraduate medical students at medical faculties in Germany. Students answered questions about COVID-19 and teaching (on a 7-point Likert scale from 0 ("not at all") to 6 ("completely")) and completed mental well-being measurements, including the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Generalised Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7) and the Perceived Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9). Descriptive data analysis, a t-test and Pearson correlations were performed to process the data.ResultsMedical students felt well-informed about COVID-19 in general (M = 5.64, SD = 1.28) and in the medical context (M = 5.14, SD = 1.34) but significantly less informed about the pandemic in the academic context, M = 2.47, SD = 1.49, t(371) = 31.98, p < .001. Their distress levels were high (STAI: M = 45.12, SD = 4.73) and significantly correlated with the academic context (rp = .164, p < .01) but not their private lives. Concerning how they were taught, they most often expected online lectures (91.7%) and live broadcasts (67.2%) and less often expected innovative digital teaching strategies, including serious games (17.3%) and virtual-reality exercises (16.7%).DiscussionMedical students seem to be aware of the COVID-19 pandemic and its consequences for academic and healthcare contexts. They also seem to think that their teachers will enhance their digital competencies during the pandemic. Therefore, faculties of medicine need to rapidly and adequately digitalise their approaches to teaching.

Project description:IntroductionIn the spot of the new emerging COVID-19 pandemic and its major impact worldwide on day-to-day activities many rules had to be changed in order to fight this pandemic. Lockdown started in Jordan and around the globe affecting several aspects of life including economy, education, entertainment, and government policies. Regarding education, the priority was to ensure the safety and progress of the educational process. Thus, new methods of teaching had to be applied using the online learning at Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST), Faculty of Medicine. This study was done to assess (1) Class Experience (2) Students and Lecturers' Interaction (3) Online Learning Advantages & Disadvantages (4) Students' Preference.MethodsA cross sectional study was conducted Convenience sampling technique was used to collect the data from the participants using a survey composed of 18 questions on Google Forms platform. A link was sent to the undergraduate medical students at the Jordan University of Science & Technology via their e-learning accounts (n = 3700). The form was available from May 22nd, 2020 to May 30th, 2020 for 8 days long. Data analysis was done using SPSS V 23.Results2212 out of 3700 students responded, (55.8%) of them were in the basic years and (44.2%) of them were in the clinical years. (55.8%) of students started to take online lectures after 3 weeks. (45.7%) used the hybrid teaching method (asynchronous and synchronous), (31.4%) used live classes, and 22.8% recorded classes. Zoom was the most used platform. (48.7%) and (57%) of clinical students and basic students express their interaction as bad, while the others had good and excellent interaction. Maintaining social distance was the most advantage of online teaching, while poor technical setup and no direct contact were the most disadvantage, furthermore inability to have real clinical access was a significant problem for clinical students (p < .001). With reference to students' preferences 75% of students were not pleased with their experience and 42% of students prefer to integrate online learning with traditional learning.ConclusionMost medical students at JUST preferred the traditional face-to-face teaching method over the solo online teaching methods with recommendations to convert to a more integrated educational system. Also, a well-established infrastructure should be done in involving online teaching.

Project description:Background The COVID-19 pandemic brought immense changes to medical school curriculums world-wide, such as the widespread adoption of virtual learning. We sought to better understand the impact on medical students’ mental health at Rocky Vista University College of Osteopathic Medicine, Parker, CO, United States. This study assessed the impact the pandemic had on anxiety and depression levels of medical students. It also assessed the impact of several domains on student mental health during the pandemic and how various sub-groups within the studied population were affected. Methods A cross-sectional survey was sent to students through an online anonymous google survey in May to June 2021, centered around the 7-item questionnaire used to screen for Generalized Anxiety Disorder GAD-7, 9-item questionnaire used to screen for depression PHQ-9, and self-designed questions to assess the personal impact of the pandemic. Data obtained were screened for error and analyzed with significance value of p < 0.05. Results A total of 152 responses were received (25.5% response rate). Of these, 64.1% identified as female, 75.8% were white, 50.3% were between ages 21–25, and 77.8% were first year medical students. During the pandemic, 79.6% of respondents felt more anxious and 65.1% felt more depressed. 67.8% of students reported feeling social isolation amidst the pandemic. Students living with friends were more likely to see a therapist for depression during the pandemic (p = 0.0169) and prescribed an antidepressant (p = 0.0394). Females and students in relationships were more likely to score higher on GAD-7 (p = 0.0194) and (p = 0.0244), respectively. Conclusion This study investigated the effect of the pandemic on medical students’ mental health and the need to address this issue. Results suggest that the pandemic had a negative impact on medical student’s mental health and that anxiety and depression levels worsened for pre-clinical medical students at Rocky Vista University. As such, it is imperative to incorporate additional resources to protect the well-being of medical students as they progress through their medical careers.

Project description:The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused an unprecedented disruption in medical education and healthcare systems worldwide. The disease can cause life-threatening conditions and it presents challenges for medical education, as instructors must deliver lectures safely, while ensuring the integrity and continuity of the medical education process. It is therefore important to assess the usability of online learning methods, and to determine their feasibility and adequacy for medical students. We aimed to provide an overview of the situation experienced by medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and to determine the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of medical students regarding electronic medical education. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with medical students from more than 13 medical schools in Libya. A paper-based and online survey was conducted using email and social media. The survey requested demographic and socioeconomic information, as well as information related to medical online learning and electronic devices; medical education status during the COVID-19 pandemic; mental health assessments; and e-learning knowledge, attitudes, and practices. A total of 3,348 valid questionnaires were retrieved. Most respondents (64.7%) disagreed that e-learning could be implemented easily in Libya. While 54.1% of the respondents agreed that interactive discussion is achievable by means of e-learning. However, only 21.1% agreed that e-learning could be used for clinical aspects, as compared with 54.8% who disagreed with this statement and 24% who were neutral. Only 27.7% of the respondents had participated in online medical educational programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, while 65% reported using the internet for participating in study groups and discussions. There is no vaccine for COVID-19 yet. As such, the pandemic will undeniably continue to disrupt medical education and training. As we face the prospect of a second wave of virus transmission, we must take certain measures and make changes to minimize the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on medical education and on the progression of training. The time for change is now, and there should be support and enthusiasm for providing valid solutions to reduce this disruption, such as online training and virtual clinical experience. These measures could then be followed by hands-on experience that is provided in a safe environment.