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Free online dermatology course for medical trainees in Ethiopia: A pilot study.

ABSTRACT: Background:The effectiveness of virtual dermatology curricula in developing countries remains unclear despite an urgent need due to the pandemic and other factors. Objective:To compare a virtual dermatology curriculum deployed in Gondar, Ethiopia with a traditional in-person course. Methods:We developed a free, on-line dermatology course. 104 trainees from the University of Gondar, Ethiopia, completed the course. Pre- and post-course surveys measuring self-reported proficiency were administered. End-of-Course surveys were distributed to elicit feedback on the course. Performance on final examinations was compared to a historical control group, which did not participate in the course but received standard in-person training. Results:Compared to historical controls (n = 236), the pilot cohort (n = 104) averaged over 4 points higher on the final exam (P < .0001). Most participants were satisfied with all aspects of the on-line course and desire at least a component of virtual learning in the future. Limitations:This pilot study was performed at a single institution, and the participants were not randomized. Further studies in demographically diverse cohorts are needed to validate the results. Conclusion:This dermatology curriculum is a free, innovative platform that can be adapted for dermatology trainees in resource-limited settings.

SUBMITTER: Revankar R

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8645434 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Free online dermatology course for medical trainees in Ethiopia: A pilot study.

Revankar Rishab R Bilcha Kassahun K Befekadu Annisa A Yeung Howa H Stoff Benjamin B

JAAD international 20211130

<h4>Background</h4>The effectiveness of virtual dermatology curricula in developing countries remains unclear despite an urgent need due to the pandemic and other factors.<h4>Objective</h4>To compare a virtual dermatology curriculum deployed in Gondar, Ethiopia with a traditional in-person course.<h4>Methods</h4>We developed a free, on-line dermatology course. 104 trainees from the University of Gondar, Ethiopia, completed the course. Pre- and post-course surveys measuring self-reported proficie ...[more]

PMID: 34917986

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Project description:Background and objectiveCoronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) necessitated a transition to virtual education which limits hands-on opportunities and student engagement. To adapt, a pilot study investigating clay modeling as an alternative educational tool for medical students was incorporated in a virtual and in-person sub-internship for prospective urology applicants. We aim to review the literature supporting the use of clay modeling in medical education as well as describe our experience with the activity as a way to engage trainees and evaluate early surgical skills.MethodsThe current literature on clay modeling in medical and early surgical education was reviewed using multiple search queries in PubMed. A total of thirteen publications were identified and analyzed, with zero articles specifically discussing urological anatomy or surgery. The pilot study was conducted through the traditional in-person sub-internship as well as through a novel virtual sub-internship at a single academic U.S. Urology residency program. Students were instructed to create a three-dimensional model of a genitourinary organ using modeling clay. Anonymized surveys were collected. Responses of virtual and in-person students were compared.Key content and findingsClay modeling has been shown in the literature to be beneficial in medical and early surgical education through the use of active learning. Twenty-five total virtual (N=6) and in-person (N=19) students participated in the clay modeling activity. Survey ratings were mixed, with 100% positive responses amongst the virtual group in the areas of "relevance" and "creatively challenging" compared to the in-person cohort, 31.6% of whom responded positively to "relevance" and 47.4% for "creatively challenging" respectively. Overall, students responded positively for the exercise being "creatively challenging" (n=15, 60%) and "enjoyable" (n=16, 64%). Positive results echoed the student perspectives described in the current literature on clay modeling.ConclusionsClay modeling has previously been used in the in-person classroom setting as a learning supplement or replacement for dissection classes but has not been previously described for use in the virtual learning environment or within the field of Urology. With ongoing need to develop novel teaching modalities, clay modeling may be a unique tool to enhance learning, and evaluate technical skill, and boost engagement for medical trainees.

Project description:BackgroundMedical education in this era has been disturbed by coronavirus disease. Our faculty has quickly adapted the curricula to online formats. The online format seems to be more advantageous in terms of content material and virtual activities, but the results of these adjustments will require subsequent evaluation. The aim of this study was to evaluate medical student expectations of online orthopedics learning that was created based on social constructivism theory.Materials and methodsA cross-sectional survey was carried out to assess the fifth-year medical student expectations of our newly developed online orthopedics course during the outbreak. Constructivist Online Learning Environment Survey (COLLES) was applied for evaluating the expectations during orthopedic rotation. The survey contains six aspects based on social constructivist principles: relevance, reflection, interactivity, tutor support, peer support, and interpretation. All students responded to the preferred COLLES before starting the online course, and the actual COLLES was filled out when the online course was completed. Before and after attending the online course, the scores were compared and interpreted to assess student expectations.ResultsA total of 126 fifth-year medical students studied the online orthopedic course. The preferred COLLES were completed by 125 students, while 120 students replied to the actual COLLES. The overall scores from the post-course survey in all aspects were significantly higher than scores from the pre-course with P-value < 0.01. The comparison between the preferred and actual scores showed this online course fulfilled student expectations.ConclusionThe outbreak of coronavirus disease 19 has disrupted medical student education. The online orthopedic learning course in our department has been developed to deal with the current situation. Using the various activities based on social constructivism theory in the online platform was able to fulfill medical student expectations.

Project description:BackgroundClinical training during the COVID-19 pandemic is high risk for medical students. Medical schools in low- and middle-income countries (LMIC) have limited capacity to develop resources in the face of rapidly developing health emergencies. Here, a free Massive Open Online Course (MOOC) was developed as a COVID-19 resource for medical students working in these settings, and its effectiveness was evaluated.MethodsThe RE-AIM (reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance) framework was utilized to evaluate the effectiveness of MOOC in teaching medical students about COVID-19. The data sources included the student registration forms, metrics quantifying their interactions within the modules, students' course feedback, and free-text responses. The data were collected from the Moodle learning management system and Google analytics from May 9 to September 15, 2020. The research team analyzed the quantitative data descriptively and the qualitative data thematically.ResultsAmong the 16,237 unique visitors who accessed the course, only 6031 medical students from 71 medical schools registered, and about 4993 (83% of registrants) completed the course, indicating high levels of satisfaction (M = 8.17, SD = 1.49) on a 10-point scale. The mean scores of each assessment modules were > 90%. The free-text responses from 987 unique students revealed a total of 17 themes (e.g., knowing the general information on COVID-19, process management of the pandemic in public health, online platform use, and instructional design) across the elements of the RE-AIM framework. Mainly, the students characterized the MOOC as well-organized and effective.ConclusionsMedical students learned about COVID-19 using a self-paced and unmonitored MOOC. MOOCs could play a vital role in the dissemination of accurate information to medical students in LMIC in future public health emergencies. The students were interested in using similar MOOCs in the future.

Dataset Information

Free online dermatology course for medical trainees in Ethiopia: A pilot study.

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Free online dermatology course for medical trainees in Ethiopia: A pilot study.

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