MedEdPublish (Nov 2020)
Experience of the biggest School of Medicine in Mexico during the COVID-19 pandemic [Version 2]
Abstract
The coronavirus 19 disease (COVID-19) pandemic affected virtually all activities worldwide. One of them was education, especially Health Sciences. In the world, many medical schools ceased their face-to-face activities and implemented institutional reorganization actions. According to their characteristics and possibilities, institutions adopted different strategies and tools to continue providing their services online during this health crisis. These situations implied enormous challenges, especially for specific regions, such as Latin America. This article exposes a quick overview of the pandemic experience at the biggest Mexican School of Medicine (UNAM School of Medicine): forecasting, reorganization, actions, challenges, and learnings. Among the most challenging situations experienced were: effective communication strategies; resistance to migrating from face-to-face activities to remote activities; technological development; students and teachers training to implement work and study in virtual spaces; students digital gap; internet and computers access; construction and application of online evaluations; online evaluation of practical skills, and the impossibility of maintaining students in clinical clerkships given the pandemic risks. UNAM School of Medicine reorganized to provide integral care to its community, but it also participated in tasks for Mexico's health and other countries' health benefits. We had a great amount of work, reorganization efforts, and creativity resulting in efficient innovations and new projects. This health crisis showed the best in our community. Actions will remain along the pandemic period and a progressive reincorporation to in-place activities at the end of the health crisis. Some strategies, such as remote activities within teaching, learning, work, evaluation, and research, will be maintained. When this situation ends, we will hopefully have learned and applied those new experiences to improve our School of Medicine, transitioning into a more robust, more united, and enriched community after the crisis caused by this pandemic.
