Impact of COVID-19 on medical education in different income countries: a scoping review of the literature

Med Educ Online. 2022 Dec;27(1):2040192. doi: 10.1080/10872981.2022.2040192.ABSTRACTThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted medical education worldwide. Universities were forced to rapidly adapt to the evolving situation and develop methods of delivering curricula and assessments online. The purpose of this scoping review was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on medical education and investigate how this effect varies in different income countries. The methodology adhered to PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) extension for scoping reviews. Key terms were searched in six electronic databases. Inclusion criteria included studies describing the effect of COVID-19 on undergraduate medical education in university and clinical settings, studies published post 1 December 2019 and studies published in English. A modified Johanna Briggs Institute data charting tool was used to extract data concerning study characteristics and outcomes. The initial search returned 298 articles. Following duplicate removal and article screening, 33 studies were included. The literature indicated that the pandemic had a negative effect on medical student education worldwide, in both high-income countries (HICs) and low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). A range of factors impacted students and educators, including new curriculum and assessment design, reduced patient contact, use of new technology and lack of infrastructure. However, LMICs encountered more arduous b...
Source: Medical Education Online - Category: Universities & Medical Training Authors: Source Type: research