Virtual learning impacts communication and teamwork.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Interprofessional Education
• Medical Education

Background:

• Interpersonal skills like teamwork and communication are vital in health professions.
• The shift to virtual learning post-COVID-19 raises questions about its impact on these skills.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the effectiveness of in-person versus virtual learning on developing interprofessional teamwork and communication skills.
• To explore student perceptions of these skills in different learning modalities.

Main Methods:

• An educational intervention was delivered to medical, physician assistant, physical therapy, and occupational therapy students.
• Student perceptions were gathered through focus groups and analyzed using inductive coding.
• Data from in-person (2019) and virtual (2020) cohorts were compared.

Main Results:

• Virtual learning settings showed less effective communication and teamwork compared to in-person.
• Key challenges included format limitations, reduced engagement, lack of bonding, and difficulties in conversation and inclusivity.
• Communication challenges inherent to the virtual format were the primary obstacle.

Conclusions:

• Virtual learning may be less effective than in-person learning for fostering essential communication and teamwork skills.
• Future curricula should balance virtual sessions with in-person opportunities to ensure skill development.