Nkereuwem, Esin

LSHTM Research Online

Abstract 201HOW COVID-19 HAS IMPACTED THE PREFERENCE FOR DELIVERY OF POST-GRADUATE TRAINING COURSES IN WESTAFRICAType: AS: Abstract SubmissionTopic: AS01 Universal Health Care / 1.6 Human resources for healthAuthors: E. Nkereuwem; MRC Unit The Gambia at LSHTM, Vaccines and Immunity, Gambia, GambiaBackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to the disruption of many aspects of medical services, including medical education. Thishas vast implications for doctors undergoing postgraduate training to become specialists, especially in a setting where thismuch-needed expertise is currently lacking. However, it has also presented an opportunity for innovation to the traditionalmodel of delivering postgraduate medical training in west Africa. We sought to capture the experiences of trainees andtrainers of postgraduate medical colleges in West Africa and assess their preferences for the mode of delivery of futuretraining courses. MethodsThis was a cross-sectional online survey of trainees and trainers of postgraduate medical colleges in West Africa betweenMay-July 2020. We collected quantitative and qualitative data on their preferences for virtual versus face-to-face modes ofdelivering future training courses and explored the reasons for these preferences. ResultsThere were 614 respondents from eight West African countries comprising 430 trainees (40% females) and 184 trainers(38% females). Over a third of respondents were physicians. More than half of respondents (56%) preferred virtual overface-to-face for future training courses; this was similar for trainees (56%) and trainers (56%). Reasons for preferring virtualover face-to-face training were that it was safer (86%), cheaper for the trainees (57%) and allowed the individuals to stayclose to family (56%) and work (56%). Reasons for preferring the face-to-face modes included the opportunity to befamiliar with the trainers (37%), other trainees (32%), and exam centres (16%). Most respondents recognised that goingforward, trainees and trainers should be able to choose from both options. ConclusionsMore respondents preferred virtual over the face-to-face mode of delivering future training courses. While training will notcompletely switch to virtual mode, the COVID-19 pandemic has taught us that virtual mode will play a substantial role indelivering future postgraduate medical training courses. Print

How COVID-19 has impacted the preference for mode of delivery of post-graduated training courses in West Africa

https://researchonline.lshtm.ac.uk/id/eprint/4665561/7/Nkereuwem_2021_How-COVID-19-has-impacted.pdf

How COVID-19 has impacted the preference for mode of delivery of post-graduated training courses in West Africa

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