Lupus Academy: Keeping Education Live, Virtually.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Rheumatology
• Digital Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift in medical education delivery.
• The Lupus Academy, an established international lupus education program, faced challenges in transitioning online.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the adaptation and delivery of the Lupus Academy's online education program during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To evaluate the success and challenges of online medical education in rheumatology.
• To explore future directions for hybrid educational models.

Main Methods:

• Development of a new technical platform and scientific program structure for online delivery.
• Implementation of strategies to address challenges in video streaming, audience engagement, and time zone differences.
• Analysis of participant numbers and geographical reach for the 2020 and 2021 online meetings.

Main Results:

• The Lupus Academy successfully delivered its education program online in 2020 and 2021, with over 3000 participants from 101 countries in 2021.
• Despite the success of online delivery, a demand for in-person education persists among learners.
• The experience fostered digital literacy and highlighted the potential for hybrid educational formats.

Conclusions:

• The Lupus Academy effectively adapted its medical education program to an online format, overcoming significant challenges.
• Learner demand for in-person interaction remains, suggesting a need for blended approaches.
• Future medical education in rheumatology will likely incorporate hybrid models, combining the benefits of in-person and online delivery to enhance accessibility and engagement.