Using virtual methods to teach Clinical Communication Skills: a survey

The COVID-19 pandemic presented the education community with an enormous challenge where educators were called to adjust and shift their teaching in most cases from onsite settings to online environments. This transition was abrupt and required adjustments, and in most cases without the necessary expertise or infrastructure. This study aimed to assess the impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the conventional Methods: of teaching clinical communication skills (CCS) as compared to virtual Methods: of teaching. A convenience sample of EACH members involved in medical student CCS education were invited to complete an online survey comprising of 34 quantitative and qualitative questions about the use of virtual Methods: of teaching CCS. The data was analyzed using frequencies and content analysis. Forty-six (46) participants from 19 countries and a range of disciplines completed the survey. For most participants, very little of the CCS education was conducted online prior COVID-19. Once the transition was done online, most of the teaching was delivered synchronously (happening in real time) as opposed to asynchronous (e.g. recorded lectures). Participants reported that the transition from onsite to online was relatively smooth; online consultations minimized class distractions and enabled greater focus on student-simulated patient interaction. Areas that did not work well included missing on non-verbal cues both from the role-plays and the group; online sessions were viewed as a second-best option to onsite teaching. Online CCS teaching was forced to scale up within a short space of time. This study provides valuable insight of the challenges educators faced in this transition, their reflection on the strengths and weakness of online teaching as well as about the adaptability of educators, students and simulated patients in this change. It is envisaged this work will highlight areas to strengthen the skills and infrastructure of online CCS teaching.