An online case-based teaching and assessment program on clinical history-taking skills and reasoning using simulated patients in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for medical students and educators worldwide. Groups 1, 2 and 3 of year 3, semester 2 medical students at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (n = 275) had only completed 2, 5 and 7 weeks, respectively, of their scheduled 10-week clinical medicine and surgery attachments, prior to the Irish shutdown of all in-person non-essential activities, including medical student education.

Methods

We developed and delivered an online case-based program, focused on history-taking skills and clinical reasoning, using simulated patients and video technologies. 12 tutorials were delivered over 6 weeks to 35 subgroups of 8 students in line with program learning outcomes. Both simulated patients (n = 36), and tutors (n

SUBMITTER: Duffy B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9811710 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature