Best Practices for Integrating Medical Students Into Telehealth Visits.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Digital Health
• Ambulatory Care

Background:

• Telehealth utilization surged during the COVID-19 pandemic, establishing it as a key component of healthcare delivery.
• The continued importance of telehealth necessitates the development of specific competencies for healthcare professionals.
• Medical students require structured training to effectively participate in and learn from telehealth encounters.

Purpose of the Study:

• To outline effective strategies for incorporating medical students into ambulatory telehealth visits.
• To provide guidance based on current literature and practical experience in telehealth education.
• To prepare future physicians for the evolving landscape of virtual healthcare.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on telehealth education and medical student integration.
• Synthesis of practical experience from authors actively involved in teaching and learning within telehealth settings.
• Development of actionable strategies for implementing medical student participation in virtual ambulatory care.

Main Results:

• Identification of key challenges and opportunities in medical student telehealth training.
• Formulation of best practices for supervising and evaluating students during telehealth visits.
• Establishment of a framework for successful integration of students into the ambulatory telehealth environment.

Conclusions:

• Integrating medical students into telehealth visits is crucial for developing essential digital health competencies.
• The proposed strategies facilitate effective learning and participation for students in virtual care settings.
• Adapting medical education to include robust telehealth training is vital for the future of healthcare delivery.