Evaluating the Usefulness and Acceptability of a Revision-Purposed ‘Specialties’ Webinar for Educating UK-Based Fifth and Final Year Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Is This the Future of Medical Education?

Abstract

Nina Cooper,1,2 Anushka Sharma,2 James Cooper,3 Yasmin Al-Asady,4 Ankur Khajuria2,5 1Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UK; 2Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UK; 3Paediatrics, North West London Hospitals NHS Trust, London, UK; 4Psychiatry, The Tavistock & Portman NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; 5Plastic Surgery, Department of Surgery & Cancer, Imperial College London, London, UKCorrespondence: Nina CooperObstetrics and Gynaecology, Queen Charlotte’s and Chelsea Hospital, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust, London, UKEmail [email protected]: To assess whether an online course is a useful method of learning for medical students revising for specialty examinations in the context of social distancing restrictions during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A free, one-day webinar was offered to fifth and final year medical students with an examination-based approach. Teaching was delivered by trainees in Psychiatry, Obstetrics and Gynaecology and Paediatrics (the ‘specialties’). An online, questionnaire-based cross-sectional study was conducted to assess usefulness and acceptability of the webinar by enrolled students, who were invited to complete the research questionnaire. Student responses pertaining to knowledge, confidence and interest, pre- and post-webinar, were collected and analysed.Results: A total of 247 students attended the webinar, with a 98.4% response rate to the questionnaire. Ninety-one percent of students agreed that webinars offer flexibility and convenience. About 55.1% felt that the pandemic had impacted their ability to learn new information. About 92.7% felt that the webinar was useful. Matched data showed an increase in participants’ knowledge (p = < 0.001) and confidence (p < 0.001).Conclusion: Online learning provides a useful, accessible and safe method of providing medical education in the context of the global pandemic. Webinars adopting a lecture-based, examination-style approach improved students’ perceived confidence and knowledge.Keywords: COVID-19, webinar, medical education, knowledge

Keywords

• covid-19
• webinar
• medical education
• knowledge