Evaluation of choices and time spent on an open online elective course by undergraduate medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the weakness of relying on in-person tuition in higher education. Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have been a successful addition to higher education. In this study, educators had to replace a planned elective in the medical curriculum with an online option during the pandemic. The roles of the competency framework of the Health Professions Council of South Africa (HPCSA) (Leader and Manager, Health Advocate, Professional, Communicator, Collaborator, Scholar, and Healthcare Practitioner) were used to guide its development. This elective emphasised the non-clinical roles of medical practitioners and was offered in 2020 and 2021. OBJECTIVES: To describe the choices of third-year medical students and time spent participating in a modified online elective in 2020 and 2021. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study design was used, involving the participation of 629 medical students. Data were collected and analysed from three primary sources: registration data from LinkedIn Learning, data from the Foundation for Professional Development, and self-reported estimates by students of the average time spent on selected courses. Data included identification of the associated competency acquired. Data analysis was conducted using Python, version 3.10.11. RESULTS: The course choices of 629 students were analysed. In 2020 there were 300 participants and in 2021 there were 329. All the students had one compulsory inclusion in the elective (Management and Leadership Short Course for Undergraduate Healthcare Students). Students in both years reported spending the most average time on courses related to clinical knowledge (Healthcare Practitioner), followed by financial literacy and management (Professional), diversity management (Collaborator), and priority actions to identify and/or respond to (Health Advocate). The most popular courses related to the Leader and Manager role were around decision-making in human resources, problem-solving, and managing healthcare teams. Based on the top 10 LinkedIn Learning course selections of both cohorts, there appeared to be a preference for courses that were consistent with the role of medical professionals in practice. The most popular LinkedIn Learning course was The Six Morning Habits of High Performers. CONCLUSION: Students gravitated toward courses aligned with their role as professional doctors within the HPCSA competency framework. More studies are needed to understand how medical students develop the six non-clinical roles in the HPCSA framework and the effectiveness of MOOCs in a medical curriculum.

Assessing awareness and treatment knowledge of preventable blindness in rural and urban South African communities.

BACKGROUND: Preventable blindness is a global public health problem. In South Africa (SA) the prevalence of blindness is increasing, with a higher proportion of cataracts than the global norm, and a large rural population with limited access to specialised eye-care services. OBJECTIVE: To determine the level of knowledge regarding preventable blindness and treatment options within a rural and urban population. SETTING: Rural and urban areas in the Eastern Cape, SA. METHODS: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 309 participants. Questionnaires were administered by fieldworkers at the different sites. Proportions were calculated and χ2 tests done to determine whether there was any significant relationship between the categorical variables. Data analysis was done using Stata version 15. RESULTS: Participants were almost equally distributed among the urban (49.2%) and rural areas (50.8%). Both groups had a similar composition of males and females. Most participants had completed high school. The results showed a statistically significant difference between the urban and rural participants' knowledge about the causes of blindness: refractive error χ 2 (1, N=30) = 8.20, p<0.05, and cataract χ2 (1, N=28) = 8.64, p<0.05. The top two differences in the views between urban and rural participants regarding symptoms associated with eye problems (p<0.05) were: 'people who need spectacles have double vision', χ2 (1, N=122) = 28.19; and 'people who need spectacles squint their eyes', χ2 (1, N=124) = 17.37. The majority of urban participants reported opting to go to a private optometrist for eye health services, while the majority of rural participants would go to a pharmacy. Both groups were aware of the role of ageing in blindness. CONCLUSION: Urban participants in this study appeared to be more knowledgeable than rural participants about the causes and symptoms of blindness and its treatment options. These findings should provide some value to those who provide primary healthcare services in rural areas as there is a clear opportunity for patient education and health promotion regarding the causes and symptoms of these common preventable causes of blindness. Addressing this knowledge gap regarding the causes and symptoms of blindness and the treatment options is a critical first step for awareness programmes in rural areas. Without this, there will be little demand for any treatment or service. Future studies are needed to understand which health promotion interventions are effective in preventable blindness in rural populations.

Practice choices of clinical associates: Policy realisation or practical reality?

BACKGROUND: The Bachelor of Clinical Medical Practice (BCMP) programme was introduced in South Africa as a strategy to fill human resource gaps in both the public sector and rural communities. A previous study explored the practice intentions of BCMP students from one university prior to graduation. OBJECTIVES: To determine whether the actual practice choices of these BCMP graduates reflect their practice intentions. METHODS: A cross-sectional analytical study invited all graduates from the four cohorts of BCMP graduates (N=250) who graduated during the period 2011 - 2014 to complete an online survey. Data were exported and analysed using Stata 13. Chi-square tests of independence were done to explore associations in the data. RESULTS: More than 80% of participants were currently employed in the public sector, with over 50% in rural settings. Factors such as where clinical associates spent most of their lives (i.e. where they were born and raised) and bursary obligations influenced their current practice choices. There was no association between gender and rural practice choice. Intention to emigrate was not associated with origin, gender or race. Almost 90% of participants indicated an interest in furthering their studies; 46% of these intended a change in career, with 65% interested in studying medicine. CONCLUSIONS: The practice choices of the first four cohorts of this degree were similar to their intended practice choices. Although the policy intentions of public sector employment and rural practice have been met, it is not clear what will happen once bursary obligations are fulfilled. The reasons for increased intentions to change career need further research, as a change of career would countermand gains achieved in implementing the policy.