Open AccessPerception of Medical Students on the Effect of Covid-19 on Medical Education in Nigeria
Author(s) -
Adeleke Victor Fasiku,
Ibrahim Abdulsamad,
James Kolade Adegoke,
Adedeji Samson Afolabi,
Samson Olaniyi Adedayo,
Ayomide Olanipekun,
Temitope Olumuyiwa Ojo
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
international journal of medical students
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2076-6327
DOI - 10.5195/ijms.2021.914
Subject(s) - medical education , perception , covid-19 , public institution , psychological intervention , pandemic , inefficiency , psychology , norm (philosophy) , higher education , the internet , medicine , political science , nursing , disease , law , economics , microeconomics , pathology , neuroscience , world wide web , computer science , infectious disease (medical specialty)
Background: The lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted normal activities including undergraduate medical education in Nigeria, similar to the rest of the world. Nigeria as a low- and middle-income country had peculiar challenges in adjusting to the new norm. This study aimed to assess Nigerian medical student’s perception of the effect of COVID-19 on their learning.
Methods: A semi-structured, pre-tested online questionnaire was administered to consenting medical students from thirty-three medical schools in Nigeria. Questions assessed the effect of COVID-19 on study and wellbeing, as well as the perception of interventions from institutions and student organizations to reduce the lockdown consequence on learning. Data was analyzed using (SPSS) version 25.
Results: A total of 623 students from 33 institutions participated. All private institutions and 25% of public institutions had commenced online lectures/tutorials, 92% of students in private institutions and 21% in public institutions had attended online lectures/tutorials. Of those who did not attend institution-organized classes, 30.5% were opposed to online lectures, the main reasons stated being internet cost/availability and inefficiency. About 65% of the participants were aware of student-organized online tutorials/seminars. Eighty percent did not feel motivated to study and perceived their personal study to be less effective.
Conclusion: Nigerian medical student’s perception of the effect of COVID-19 on their medical education was largely negative. Private institutions fared better in coping with the challenges of the pandemic. Proper planning will be needed to curb the effect of COVID-19 on students’ health and wellbeing.