The COVID-19 pandemic: the benefits and challenges it presents for medical education in Africa

Anthonio Oladele Adefuye; Henry Ademola Adeola; Jamiu Busari

doi:10.11604/pamj.2021.40.42.28489

The COVID-19 pandemic: the benefits and challenges it presents for medical education in Africa

Pan Afr Med J. 2021 Sep 16:40:42. doi: 10.11604/pamj.2021.40.42.28489. eCollection 2021.

Authors

Anthonio Oladele Adefuye¹, Henry Ademola Adeola², Jamiu Busari³

Affiliations

¹ Division of Health Sciences Education, Office of the Dean, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, P.O. Box 339, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa.
² Department of Dermatology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa.
³ Educational Development and Research Department, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.

Abstract

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) has impacted many facets of everyday daily life, resulting in far-reaching consequences on social interaction, regional and global economies, and healthcare delivery systems. Numerous reports have commented on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education in various world regions. However, we know little about the influence of the pandemic on medical education in Africa. Here, we discuss the potential impact of COVID-19 on teaching and learning in undergraduate medical education in sub-Saharan Africa, illustrating some of the unexpected benefits and challenges the pandemic presents for medical education in sub-Saharan Africa.

Keywords: COVID-19; medical education; sub-Saharan Africa.

Copyright: Anthonio Oladele Adefuye et al.

MeSH terms

Africa South of the Sahara
COVID-19*
Delivery of Health Care / organization & administration*
Education, Medical, Undergraduate / methods*
Humans
Learning
Teaching