Cureus, 2024/10, 16(10):e72115. doi: 10.7759/cureus.72115, type of study: ,ret,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

Free full text   (https://www.cureus.com/articles/287309-a-retrospective-study-of-virtual-hospital-experiential-learning-across-clerkship-and-pre-clerkship-doctor-of-osteopathic-medicine-students-at-a-medical-school-based-in-the-united-states#!/)

Keywords:

clerkship [34]
medical students [695]
osteopathic medicine [2110]
retrospective study [339]
USA [1753]
virtual learning [17]

Abstract:

INTRODUCTION: During the COVID-19 pandemic, a medical institution in the United States implemented a virtual clerkship rotation to replicate the skills that students would develop during an in-person clinical site rotation. The primary objective of this study was to identify the efficacy and benefits following the implementation of the Virtual Hospital Experiential Learning (VHEL) model, as demonstrated by increased perceived confidence and skill growth among medical students. METHODS: Cases were presented to five to six medical students each week. On the Monday of the week, students entered a virtual conference platform for a standardized patient encounter. Staff and faculty randomly assigned all students to sessions. A post-VHEL survey was conducted to determine the level of perceived student confidence (measured via the Likert scale, self-reported). RESULTS: From the 193 students randomly assigned to VHEL sessions, 49 survey responses were gathered, resulting in a 25% response rate. According to our dataset, one week following the VHEL sessions, students reported a significant increase in their perceived confidence regarding diagnostic skills and problem-solving within a clinical setting. The majority of respondents felt that they had gained confidence and skills through the sessions. Additionally, they noted that the sessions effectively mirrored the experiences of in-person clerkships in a hospital environment. CONCLUSION: Most medical student respondents reported an increase in perceived overall confidence following the completion of the VHEL sessions. First-year medical student data displayed a moderately higher level of perceived total confidence overall, suggesting that the implementation of VHEL sessions during the spring semester of the first year of medical school may offer the most significant gains.