DIGITAL REALITY OF MEDICAL EDUCATION

ЦИФРОВАЯ РЕАЛЬНОСТЬ МЕДИЦИНСКОГО ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ

Научная статья

Хохлова Л.А.^1, *, Киселева Л.Г.², Тихонова Е.В.³

^{1, 2, 3} Северный государственный медицинский университет, Архангельск, Россия

* Корреспондирующий автор (lkhokhlova[at]rambler.ru)

Аннотация

Цифровизация высшего образования является одним из направлений инновационной политики вузов, реализуемой с учётом условий внешней среды и собственных потребностей. Пандемия COVID-19 внесла свою коррективу в разработку и использование дистанционных методов обучения. Все больше вузов активно внедряет цифровые технологии в образовательный процесс. Внедрение дистанционных технологий в процесс обучения коснулось и медицинские вузы. В статье приведен анализ проблем, с которыми сталкиваются преподаватели и студенты при внедрении цифровых технологий. Рассматривается специфика обучения медицинским специальностям. Обсуждается приоритетность очного обучения на клинических кафедрах.

Ключевые слова: университет, медицина, цифровые технологии.

DIGITAL REALITY OF MEDICAL EDUCATION

Research article

Khokhlova L.A.^1, *, Kiseleva L.G.², Tikhonova E.V.³

^{1, 2, 3} Northern State Medical University, Arkhangelsk, Russia

* Corresponding author (lkhokhlova[at]rambler.ru)

Abstract

Digitalization of higher education is one of the areas of innovation policy of universities. It's implemented taking into account the conditions of the external environment and university requirements. COVID-19 pandemic has made its own adjustments to the development and use of distance learning methods. More and more universities are actively introducing digital technologies into their educational process. Distance technologies introduction has also affected medical universities. The manuscript provides the analysis of problems the faculty members and students face in the implementation of digital technologies. Medical education specific issues are analyzed. The priority of in-personal training at clinical departments is discussed.

Keywords: university, medicine, digital technologies.

Introduction

Society informatization and introduction of innovative approaches to the learning process have created conditions for remote training courses. At the same time, the issue of application of distance learning technology in medical educational institutions remains controversial. Our research objective was to assess the difficulties encountered by the medical education system in the transition to a remote work schedule.

Discussion

Distance education has really changed the way we see higher education. On the one hand, it gives possibility of teaching a large number of students all at once and facilitating the educational process, especially in case of teaching disabled people. It is worth noting that under conditions of COVID-19 pandemic, remote education is the best prevention measure to decrease the incidence of a new coronavirus infection among students [1].

On the other hand, mastering practical skills, which are the main component in the training of future healthcare practitioners, is impossible in this way. In studying any medical speciality, visualization plays a key role in acquiring physician's knowledge. It is impossible to imagine gaining knowledge of anatomy without working in a dissecting room, studying histology without working with microslides, studying surgery without observing operations, etc [3].

Medical education requires assimilation of a great amount of theoretical and practical material. It is necessary not only to listen to countless lectures and see a variety of diagrams, memorize hundreds of tables and thousands of graphs. One should be sure that all this information is learned correctly. Doctors deal with human health that can be irreversibly impaired, and even with human lives that can be cut short due to the mistake of an unqualified physician.

In the context of a coronavirus infection Covid-19, the focus is shifted to new health demands: emergency care, intubation, artificial pulmonary ventilation, new methods of diagnostics and treatment of patients in high-risk conditions requiring well-coordinated teamwork and knowledge of new action algorithms. It is impossible to teach these practical skills in a distance learning environment.A teacher has a great responsibility for the education management process, for the development of a high-quality teaching and learning resources. At the same time, the development and preparation of these educational learning complexes take lots of time and require technical IT resources. A modern teacher of a medical university should have a high level of knowledge both in the field of his specialization and that of modern information and the latest multimedia nanotechnologies necessary for conducting online lectures, classes and tutorial instructions [2]. Often, however, teachers who are not tech friendly (especially those of the older generation) are ready to work in a virtual information environment neither morally nor technically. Distance learning requires high motivation of students, their capability of effective time management and self-organizational skills. Sometimes they need to spend more time on independent preparation and analysis of a new topic as compared to that studied during face-to-face instructions [4].In the process of e-learning, difficulties associated with technical issues including Internet connection stability and low features of software training resources are inevitable. Educational platforms often stop working when a large number of participants enter.Interactive student-teacher cooperation takes place in the information educational environment of the university via Skype, ZOOM applications, via e-mail, social network chats and messengers. At the same time, there is a lack of real-life communication, which is very important for the formation of a future health-care specialist.During the pandemic, the process of teaching communication skills has undergone certain changes, which is primarily due to the restriction of students' access to patients. Break in clinical practice does not allow teaching the art of healing. It's not only the administration of diagnostic studies and treatment but the ability to bring patients the real possible benefit and relief. Medicine requires lot of skills that students need to do physically and they all can be acquired only in a traditional full-time mode of study. First of all, it refers to face-to-face communication with patients, their physical examination, mastering various manipulations, operations, diagnostic studies and medical record management which students cannot learn on a high-quality level even with the use of modern simulators. Without patient communication it is difficult to form logical thinking, rational use and application of knowledge in each specific case and non-standard situation with an account of individual characteristics. In the process of virtual learning, there is no real responsibility for the decisions made. Therefore, in terms of professional skills development and control of clinical experience, the current level of digital technologies does not allow to completely compensate the opportunities of face-to-face training of medical students.

Conclusions

Medical education peculiarity is such that most of the clinical knowledge is closely associated with a full-time mode of study that requires personal attendance. It includes clinical practice, skills of daily rounds, bed side teaching and carrying out various manipulations. In the process of distance learning without integrated “face-to-face” and “hand-to-hand” teaching it is difficult to ensure the development of clinical skills [5].

Technology based teaching requires the development of professional virtual programs that would guarantee the high quality of medical education.

When forming a new model for organizing the educational process in a medical university, it is necessary to take into account the priority of in-personal training at clinical departments. Online education should be used as an addition to the face-to-face one.

Конфликт интересов Не указан.

Conflict of Interest None declared.

Список литературы / References

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Список литературы на английском языке / References in English

1. Antonova N.L. Virtual'nyj klass kak novyj scenarij obucheniya v vuze v usloviyah pandemii [Virtual classroom as a new scenario for university education in a pandemic] / N.L.Antonova // Professional'noe obrazovanie i rynok truda [Vocational education and labor market] - 2020. - No 3. - pp. 36 - 40. [in Russian]
2. Borisova E.V. Rol' prepodavaniya v cifrovoj sisteme obrazovaniya [Role of teaching in the digital education system] / E.V. Borisova // Chelovecheskij kapital [Human capital] - 2020. - No 3. - pp.104 - 110. [in Russian]
3. Khokhlova L. Problems of teaching academic disciplines to foreign students at the Northern State Medical University / Khokhlova L. et al // Russian Journal of Education and Psychology, 2018. - V.9. - N11. - pp.6-14
4. Mazur M.M. Problemy distancionnogo obucheniya v vuze [Problems of university e-learning] /M.M.Mazur //Alleya nauki [Alley of Science] - 2020. - Vol. 2, No 5. - P. 813 - 815.[in Russian]
5. Tusupbekova K.T. Metodologicheskie aspekty prepodavaniya osnov klinicheskoj medi- ciny pri distancionnom obuchenii [Methodological aspects of teaching fundamentals of clinical medicine in distance learning] / K.T.Tusupbekova et al // Sovremennye problemy nauki i obrazovaniya [Modern problems of science and education] - 2020. - No 4. - pp.2 - 9. [in Russian]