Effectiveness, merits and challenges of simulation-based online clinical skills teaching compared to face-to-face teaching – a case–control study

COVID restrictions saw the migration of the entire teaching–learning process to online mode. Medical educators faced challenges in the execution of skills teaching via online platforms. This study was conducted to evaluate the process and outcome of online skills teaching compared with historical in-person training. Participants were undergraduate medical students during clinical skills training ( OSPE scores of the interventional group were lower compared to controls (2.93 vs. 3.75 and 2.76 vs. 3.90) with statistical significance ( We could infer that outcome of online teaching was lower compared to the control reasons that were evident from subjective feedback. The control group had better avenues for interaction, error correction and repetition. Strategies to improve outcomes are small group size, hybrid teaching, faculty training in digital technology and a supportive technical team.