Virtual Elective Programs for Medical Students
Author Information
Author(s): Luke McCarron, Nihal Sogandji, Luke Coakham, Lun Zhu, Yuhui Zhou, Edward Lau, James Smith N, Anmol Arora, Charlotte Tulinius
Primary Institution: School of Clinical Medicine University of Cambridge
Hypothesis
What are the experiences of medical students who have undertaken virtual elective programmes?
Conclusion
Virtual electives are positively received by medical students and can serve as an effective alternative to traditional electives.
Supporting Evidence
- Students reported high satisfaction with virtual electives.
- Virtual electives increased accessibility and reduced costs.
- Some students preferred virtual electives for their flexibility.
- Challenges included reduced patient interactions and technological difficulties.
- Virtual electives may help increase diversity in medical education.
Takeaway
This study looked at online medical training programs and found that students liked them a lot and thought they could be a good replacement for in-person training.
Methodology
A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, analyzing 14 articles published between 2020 and 2023.
Potential Biases
Self-selection bias may have influenced the positive feedback from students who were more enthusiastic about the programs.
Limitations
The studies had small sample sizes and were primarily conducted in the USA, limiting generalizability.
Participant Demographics
All studies included medical students from the USA, with some focusing on underrepresented minority students.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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