The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical student education: Implementation and outcome of a virtual general surgery curriculum

Nicole K Zern; Laura A Yale; Mark E Whipple; Suzanne M Allen; Douglas E Wood; Roger P Tatum; James D Perkins; Kristine E Calhoun

doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.03.035

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical student education: Implementation and outcome of a virtual general surgery curriculum

Am J Surg. 2022 Jul;224(1 Pt B):612-616. doi: 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2022.03.035. Epub 2022 Mar 26.

Authors

Nicole K Zern¹, Laura A Yale², Mark E Whipple², Suzanne M Allen², Douglas E Wood³, Roger P Tatum³, James D Perkins³, Kristine E Calhoun⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Washington, Department of Surgery, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356410, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA. Electronic address: Nicole_Zern@Valleymed.org.
² University of Washington School of Medicine, 1959 NE Pacific Street, A-300 Health Sciences Center, Box 356340, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
³ University of Washington, Department of Surgery, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356410, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA.
⁴ University of Washington, Department of Surgery, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Box 356410, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA; University of Washington School of Medicine, 1959 NE Pacific Street, A-300 Health Sciences Center, Box 356340, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA. Electronic address: calhounk@uw.edu.

Abstract

Background: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, medical schools were forced to adapt clinical curricula. The University of Washington School of Medicine created a hybrid in person and virtual general surgery clerkship.

Methods: The third year general surgery clerkship was modified to a 4-week in person and 2-week virtual clerkship to accommodate the same number of learners in less time. All students completed a survey to assess the impact of the virtual clerkship.

Results: The students preferred faculty lectures over national modules in the virtual clerkship. 58.6% indicated they would prefer the virtual component before the in-person experience. There was no change from previous years in final grades or clerkship exam scores after this hybrid curriculum.

Conclusions: If the need for a virtual general surgery curriculum arises again in the future, learners value this experience at the beginning of the clerkship and prefer faculty lectures over national modules.

Keywords: COVID-19; General surgery clerkship; Medical student education; Virtual clerkship.

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / epidemiology
Clinical Clerkship*
Curriculum
Education, Medical, Undergraduate*
General Surgery* / education
Humans
Pandemics
Students, Medical*