Virtual Learning Improves Attendance for Critical Care Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has pushed medical educators and learners to adapt to virtual learning (VL) in an expedited manner. The effect of VL for critical care education has not yet been evaluated. In a quantitative analysis of survey data and attendance records, we sought to determine the association of VL with conference attendance and work-life balance. Attending physicians, fellows, and advanced practice providers (APP) at a pediatric critical care department at a quaternary children's hospital participated in the study. Attendance records were obtained before and after the adaption of a VL platform. In addition, an electronic, anonymous survey to evaluate current satisfaction and the strengths and weaknesses of VL as well as its impact on work-life balance was administered. In total, 31 learners (17 attending physicians, 13 fellows, and 1 APP) completed the survey. A total of 83.9% (26/31) of participants were satisfied, and 77.4% (24/31) found VL to be similar or more engaging than non-VL. However, 6.5% (2/31) of learners reported difficulty in using the new platform, 87% (27/31) of participants supported VL as an effective learning tool, and 83.3% (25/30) reported a positive impact on work-life balance. Additionally, median monthly conference attendance increased significantly from 85 to 114 attendees per month (p < 0.05). Our results suggest that a virtual model has advantages for overall attendance and work-life balance. We anticipate VL will continue to be an integral part of medical education. Future work evaluating the impact of VL on interdepartmental and interinstitutional collaborations is needed.

Keywords

pediatric - learning - education - medical education - pandemics

Publication History

Received: 05 April 2021

Accepted: 03 August 2021

Article published online:
14 September 2021

• References

• 1 Dedeilia A, Sotiropoulos MG, Hanrahan JG, Janga D, Dedeilias P, Sideris M. Medical and surgical education challenges and innovations in the COVID-19 era: a systematic review. In Vivo 2020; 34 (3, Suppl) 1603-1611
• 2 Almarzooq ZI, Lopes M, Kochar A. Virtual learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: a disruptive technology in graduate medical education. J Am Coll Cardiol 2020; 75 (20) 2635-2638
• 3 Tullis JG, Benjamin AS. On the effectiveness of self-paced learning. J Mem Lang 2011; 64 (02) 109-118
• 4 Mehta S, Machado F, Kwizera A. et al. COVID-19: a heavy toll on health-care workers. Lancet Respir Med 2021; 9 (03) 226-228
• 5 Kok N, van Gurp J, Teerenstra S. et al. Coronavirus disease 2019 immediately increases burnout symptoms in ICU professionals: a longitudinal cohort study. Crit Care Med 2021; 49 (03) 419-427
• 6 van Vendeloo SN, Prins DJ, Verheyen CCPM. et al. The learning environment and resident burnout: a national study. Perspect Med Educ 2018; 7 (02) 120-125
• 7 Rose S. Medical student education in the time of COVID-19. JAMA 2020; 323 (21) 2131-2132
• 8 Senapati A, Khan N, Chebrolu LB. Impact of social media and virtual learning on cardiology during the COVID-19 pandemic era and beyond. Methodist DeBakey Cardiovasc J 2020; 16 (03) e1-e7
• 9 Suttle ML, Chase MA, Sasser III WC. et al; Education in Pediatric Intensive Care (E.P.I.C.) Investigators. Burnout in pediatric critical care medicine fellows. Crit Care Med 2020; 48 (06) 872-880
• 10 Mains TE, Cofrancesco Jr J, Milner SM, Shah NG, Goldberg H. Do questions help? The impact of audience response systems on medical student learning: a randomised controlled trial. Postgrad Med J 2015; 91 (1077): 361-367
• 11 Cheng X, Ka Ho Lee K, Chang EY, Yang X. The “flipped classroom” approach: Stimulating positive learning attitudes and improving mastery of histology among medical students. Anat Sci Educ 2017; 10 (04) 317-327
• 12 Castillo S, Thomas L, Yarlagadda S, Ahmed Y, Newman JR. Poll everywhere to encourage learner satisfaction and participation in internal medicine fellowship didactics. Cureus 2020; 12 (02) e7078
• 13 Gubbiyappa KS, Barua A, Das B, Vasudeva Murthy CR, Baloch HZ. Effectiveness of flipped classroom with Poll Everywhere as a teaching-learning method for pharmacy students. Indian J Pharmacol 2016; 48 (Suppl. 01) S41-S46
• 14 Zuo L, Dillman D, Miller Juvé A. Learning at home during COVID-19: a multi-institutional virtual learning collaboration. Med Educ 2020; 54 (07) 664-665