Open AccessEXPERIENCE OF OPHTHALMOLOGY RESIDENTS USING SIMULATION DURING PANDEMIC
Author(s) -
Yolanda Macías-Rodríguez,
Marı́a M. López,
Elena Ríos-Barrientos,
CP AlonzoCorrea
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international conference on education
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Conference proceedings
ISSN - 2424-6700
DOI - 10.17501/24246700.2021.7112
Subject(s) - pandemic , medical education , perception , covid-19 , sample (material) , psychology , closure (psychology) , medicine , chemistry , disease , pathology , chromatography , neuroscience , infectious disease (medical specialty) , economics , market economy
During the pandemic, postgraduate medical programs were affected by the closure of clinics, which reduced the surgical procedures that the students performed. To continue offering these practical experiences, many educational programs turned to simulation activities where students could practice, engage in assessment, and receive feedback to guarantee skill development. The objective of this study was to analyze the training experience of ophthalmology residents based on a simulation that emerged in the pandemic. The study considered a mixed-method approach with parallel quantitativequalitative phases. The sample consisted of 21 residents from different stages in their training in a multicentric postgraduate medical program in Mexico. As an instrument, a 10-item online survey focused on the elements of simulation practice, such as the type of procedures, frequency of participation, and their perspectives on skills development and how closely their mastery could be translated to professional practice. The results show that students practiced nine different types of procedures. First-year residents used simulators the most (40%), and 65% performed animal model practices. Regarding students' perception of skill development, 70% of them valued their performance on a competent level, and 75% of students consider these skills are transferable to a professional practice setting. Even 31% of participants consider this experience comparable to what they would have done without the restrictions of the pandemic. The model can be transferred to other postgraduate medical or health-focused programs, even after the pandemic simulation can foster a safe learning environment for students to master complex procedures. Other disciplines can incorporate these lessons in preparing contextrich educational experiences to prepare graduates for a competitive professional environment. Keywords: Educational innovation, Higher education, Simulation, Medical education, Residency programs