As paradigms of clinical care delivery have been significantly impacted by the novel coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic, so has the structure, delivery, and future of medical education. Both undergraduate and graduate medical education have seen disruptions ranging from fully virtual delivery of educational content and limited clinical care for medical students to increased clinical demands with redeployment for residents and fellows. Adherence to social distancing has led to the adoption and implementation of already available technologies in medical education, including video conferencing softwares and social media platforms. Efficient and effective use of these technologies requires an understanding not only of these platforms and their features but also of their inherent limitations. During a time of uncertainty and increased clinical demands, the approach to medical education must be thoughtful with attention to wellness of both the educator and learner. In this review, we discuss the influence of the pandemic on the existing medical education landscape, outline existing and proposed adaptations to social distancing, and describe challenges that lie ahead.
Background Digital innovations have the potential to enhance current graduate medical education strategies. Objective We assessed the scope, reach, and effectiveness of Nephrology Simulator (NephSIM), a free, mobile-optimized, nephrology educational tool designed to teach pathophysiology with a diagnostic approach using interactive cases. Methods NephSIM, launched in June 2018, was designed as a mobile-optimized website with peer-reviewed content in WordPress. Content, including interactive cases with iterative feedback, infographics, and tutorials, was developed by nephrology fellows and attending nephrologists. The teaching tool was shared via an e-mail subscriber list and Twitter. Website usage data and Twitter analytics were reviewed. Case content was categorized, and the case completion rate was calculated. A self-report survey was sent to subscribers to assess their demographics and experience. Results Thirty-four cases have been published to date and represent a variety of nephrology topics. There have been 100 745 page views between June 2018 and June 2019, representing 17 922 unique visitors from more than 100 countries. There are 1929 accounts that follow NephSIM on Twitter. Tweets received 124 200 impressions and a 3% engagement rate. Median case completion rate was 69% (interquartile range 64%–78%). Our survey response rate was 17% (76 of 445). Nearly all NephSIM users rated the platform highly in terms of satisfaction and usability, and planned to continue using in the future. Conclusions The development of a mobile-optimized, case-based teaching approach by nephrology fellows and faculty is feasible and has demonstrated global participation and high levels of learner satisfaction.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.