Medical Education, COVID-19 and E-Learning

Background: COVID-19 not only jeopardized the health, economy but also the education. Medical education is the worst affected area. Shift from traditional learning to online teaching brings forth new kind of complexity in teaching and learning behavior. Student’s attitude towards digital world, availability of resource, their capacity to use and learn from online teaching, institutional conversion and adoption of online method of teaching and their impact all are expected concerns. This study is the reflection of female medical student’s status and perception during Covid 19 pandemic. Objective: To assess the affect of covid-19 pandemic on medical education among female medical students. Study Design: Place and Duration of Study: Department of Ophthalmology, Pak Red Crescent Medical & Dental College Kasur from 1st January 2021 to 31st August 2021. Methodology: Questionnaire was generated based on student’s interview, feedback and literature review. Question was of yes/no type. Impact of Covid19 was assessed, working potential, future planning, availability of resources, role of institution, knowledge, attitude and mental and physical well being. Questionnaire was distributed and collected after 24 hours, majority responders were female. Results: There were 29 students with average age of 21.3±2 years, who responded to the survey, among them only 2 were males. 86.2% claimed negative impact of Covid-19. 34.5% had mild, 37.9% moderate and 24.1% had severe anxiety. Only eight (27.6%) students worked as frontline worker or volunteer during pandemic with highest rate (66.7%) among final year or house officers. Majority (93.0%) were aware of the COVID-19 infection and its consequences. Social media was the major source of information for 79.3% followed by WHO web site, faculty lectures, government health advisors and conference/symposia at campus. A good number (65.5%) were willing to work as frontline worker, 58.6% had their families no objection on their working as frontline workers.13.8% did not have digital devices. 58.6% were satisfied with internet function. Conclusion: Majority student’s physical and mental wellbeing affected by Covid. Most were aware of Covid and its consequences. Institution need to integrate online teaching method into traditional way of learning. More resources should be directed for education and provision of facility. Keywords: COVID-19, Education, Learning, Anxiety , Female students, Digital devices