Optimizing virtual and distance learning during an emergency and beyond.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Digital Health
• Clinical Training

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic forced immediate transitions from face-to-face to virtual instruction in medical training programs.
• This shift impacts various aspects of fellowship training, including recruitment, patient care, scholarly activities, and trainee well-being.
• Maintaining equity in distance learning strategies is a critical consideration for clinical educators.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide resources and guidance for sleep medicine fellowship programs transitioning to distance learning.
• To address the challenges and opportunities presented by virtual education in clinical training.

Main Methods:

• Resources were collected from openly accessible sites for sleep medicine educators.
• Resources were organized by topic domains to guide the implementation of distance learning.

Main Results:

• Guidance and resources are provided for virtual clinical care and didactic delivery.
• Strategies for generating scholarship, promoting well-being, and conducting virtual interviews are included.
• Emphasis is placed on ensuring equity within virtual clinical learning environments.

Conclusions:

• Virtual and distance learning methodologies can effectively deliver and enhance existing curricula in clinical training programs.
• The widespread adoption of distance learning fosters educational innovation and inter-program collaboration.