Leveraging digital assets: lessons from a 14-year-old isotope tracer course for professional scientists

The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent policies (e.g., social distancing, travel restrictions) challenged both organizers for and attendees of programs typically held in person. Many scientific training programs quickly adapted to virtual formats by incorporating digital assets developed for virtual learning and remote social engagement. At the outset, the value of continuing digital elements with future in-person events was unclear. To examine how virtual resources supported heterogeneous professional training programs, we reviewed survey data for a 14-year-old training program for scientific professionals titled "Isotope Tracers in Metabolic Research: Principles and Practice of Kinetic Analysis." We found a positive relationship between survey satisfaction and the postpandemic in-person program that included digital assets held in 2022 compared to prepandemic in-person programs. To better understand the postpandemic program satisfaction, we assessed the 2021 virtual course format and survey data. We found that although there was a desire to return to in-person programs, the digital assets and approaches were valued. In examining the individual programmatic elements in the 2022 in-person course, there was better "value and understandability" of lectures over previous in-person years. These findings highlight how incorporating new digital engagement strategies for professional development benefits even the most established programs in supporting heterogeneous learners.NEW & NOTEWORTHY We examined impact of leveraging digital assets to support virtual engagement for an in-person program. Using survey data of a 14-year-old program for scientific professionals, we compared pre- and postpandemic in-person programs. Through incorporating digital assets, we found increased survey satisfaction compared to prepandemic in-person programs. These findings highlight how incorporating new digital engagement strategies benefits even the most successful professional development programs.