A Multi-Modal Remote Clinical Skills Mini-Course Utilizing a Teaching TeleOSCE.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Skills Training
• Pandemic Response

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a global shift to remote learning in medical schools.
• Traditional clinical skills instruction faced significant challenges in a virtual environment.
• Innovative remote teaching methods were required to maintain educational standards.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and evaluate a 2-week remote clinical skills mini-course for third-year medical students.
• To assess the impact of remote learning on clinical reasoning, counseling, and core clinical competencies.
• To gauge student preparedness for the United States Medical Licensing Exam (USMLE) Step 2 Clinical Skills exam.

Main Methods:

• A multi-modal remote curriculum was implemented, including virtual case-based discussions and a teaching TeleOSCE.
• Student feedback on patient note skills was provided.
• Students self-assessed their competency in core Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Core Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs) and counseling skills before and after the course.

Main Results:

• Students reported statistically significant increases in self-rated scores across most assessed areas, excluding interpretation of basic diagnostic studies.
• The teaching TeleOSCE and patient note feedback were identified as the most beneficial components of the course.
• The remote learning approach demonstrated effectiveness in enhancing self-perceived clinical skills.

Conclusions:

• Remote clinical skills education is feasible and can be effective, even during a pandemic.
• Future curricula should incorporate peer-to-peer remote OSCE practice and individualized faculty feedback.
• Lessons learned from this remote mini-course can inform future virtual medical education strategies.