How Is COVID-19 Re-shaping Medical Education?

The rapid transition to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic posed significant challenges for students, educators and academic institutions. Immediate interventions were necessary to equip learners and teachers with the essential skills required for continued education. Medical schools presented difficulties due to the critical need for hands-on clinical skill development. Our objective is to explore the perspectives of undergraduate medical students concerning online teaching and their preferences for the post-COVID-19 era. A cross-sectional study was carried out among students at Sultan Qaboos University in 2020. A validated questionnaire was emailed to all registered medical students. Results revealed a predominant preference for a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning. The ability to pause and revisit the sessions was the most perceived benefit of asynchronous lessons. Their ability to connect with professors and peers was very beneficial in synchronous learning. Although online learning was found challenging and inefficient for clinical skills acquisition, it was seen as a valuable complement to in-person sessions. In conclusion, while medical students acknowledged the positive aspects of online learning, they did not favor it as the sole mode of education. They expressed a preference for hybrid teaching models beyond the COVID-19 era.