Pandemic-Era Digital Education: Insights from an Undergraduate Medical Programme

The undergraduate medical programme at Newcastle University (NU) includes a fundamental 'Essentials of Medical Practice' (EOMP) phase comprising the first 2 years of study. This period is designed to support entrants in their transition from further education into the advanced study and practice of clinical medicine. The anatomical sciences of gross anatomy, histology and embryology, and life sciences including physiology, pharmacology and genetics are key disciplines taught within the integrated case-based EOMP curriculum. Learners apply basic science knowledge to clinical scenarios during training in practical examination, communication and reasoning skills. Within the modern pedagogic landscape, the development and introduction of technology-enhanced learning strategies have enhanced the provision of remote learning resources in pre-clinical education. However, the emergence of COVID-19 has resulted in widespread technological challenges for educators and learners, and has raised pedagogic, logistical and ethical concerns. Nonetheless, the pandemic has produced favourable conditions for the creation of valuable digital visualisation strategies for learning and teaching, and for developing and modernising universal approaches to remote education. Here, we describe our technology-enhanced adaptations to COVID-19 across the domains of teaching, learning and academic support for pre-clinical learners studying basic life sciences and clinical skills. Moreover, we outline research-informed digital visualisation solutions to pandemic-era challenges and reflect upon experiences gained within our own educational context. In doing so, we provide insights into the impacts and successes of our interventions. While providing a record of unprecedented contemporary circumstances, we also aim to utilise our observations and experiences of COVID-19 pedagogy when developing ongoing strategies for delivering curricula and futureproofing educational practice.