Medical education and the epidemics: How educational technology responded

• Published in: African journal of reproductive health 2024-01, Vol.28 (1), p.94-109
• Main Authors: Alsaif, Bander S., Ibrahem, Usama M., Alblaihed, Munthir A., Ahmed, Sameh S. I., El Tobely, Tarek E., Mayor, Losito B., Alshrif, Haisam A., Diab, Hanan M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analysis; California; China; Coronaviruses; COVID-19 - epidemiology; Cross-Sectional Studies; Education, Medical; Educational innovations; Educational Technology; Epidemics; Humans; Medical colleges; Medical education; Medical students; Online education; Online learning; Original Research Articles; Prospective Studies; Saudi Arabia; Students, Medical; Surveys; synchronous distance education (SDE)
• ISSN: 1118-4841; 2141-3606
• DOI: 10.29063/ajrh2024/v28i1.10

The global disruption created by the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in medical education and healthcare institutions is unparalleled. Consequently, it is essential to evaluate the usability of forms of educational technology and to identify their viability and suitability for medical education. The objective of the investigation was to present an assessment of the state of medical education during the COVID-19 epidemic and to identify the obstacles faced by educators while introducing online learning systems for medical students. Two cross-sectional surveys were conducted with 200 medical students and 75 staff members from Saudi Arabia's University of Health. A descriptive method was used to focus on the mechanisms of analysis, foresight, and comprehension of reality. The most significant findings were the obstacles posed by instructors' most urgent requirements for educational technology training and its applications in order to activate distance education in medical education. In addition to a detailed description of the academic and technological concerns and obstacles encountered by students and faculty of health colleges during the pandemic, this report includes a discussion of the pandemic itself. Several prospective recommendations for the use of online and blended learning in health colleges post-pandemic were also made. Additionally, the requirement to activate learning via virtual professional learning groups. La perturbation mondiale créée par la pandémie de maladie à coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) dans les établissements d'enseignement médical et de soins de santé est sans précédent. Par conséquent, il est essentiel d'évaluer l'utilisabilité des formes de technologie éducative et d'identifier leur viabilité et leur adéquation à l'enseignement médical. L'objectif de l'enquête était de présenter une évaluation de l'état de l'enseignement médical pendant l'épidémie de COVID-19 et d'identifier les obstacles rencontrés par les éducateurs lors de l'introduction de systèmes d'apprentissage en ligne pour les étudiants en médecine. Deux enquêtes transversales ont été menées auprès de 200 étudiants en médecine et de 75 membres du personnel de l'Université de la Santé d'Arabie Saoudite. Une méthode descriptive a été utilisée pour se concentrer sur les mécanismes d'analyse, de prospective et de compréhension de la réalité. Les résultats les plus significatifs ont été les obstacles posés par les besoins les plus urgents des instructeurs en matièr