Online versus classroom teaching for medical students during COVID-19: measuring effectiveness and satisfaction.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic and physical distancing have had a significant impact on the conversion of traditional teaching methods to online teaching methods, which although not uncommon in medical schools, has to date only been used for some aspects of the teaching process. Thus, we aimed to measure the effectiveness of e-learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as medical students' preferences regarding e-learning and classroom teaching, and the possibility of applying it post-pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey of medical students (N = 376) in six medical schools was carried out after their second semester, from August 15 to 20, 2020. Ten parameters were measured for the effectiveness of e-learning based on a 5-point Likert-scale and five parameters were measured for satisfaction. RESULTS: e-learning was more or equally effective in four parameters such as assignment submission and meeting individual needs, but less effective in six parameters, including building skills and knowledge, and interaction level. Satisfaction was either high or neutral in all five parameters. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings have shown that e-learning can assist the teaching process in medical schools in some respects, but cannot be used for the entire teaching process.

Extent of and influences on knowledge of Alzheimer's disease among undergraduate medical students.

BACKGROUND: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a major health problem, which is of increasing concern because of rising yearly incidence and estimated cost. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to manage AD effectively and improve the outcomes. Inadequate knowledge can delay the diagnosis. General practitioners should play a more effective role in the identification and diagnosis of AD, and medical education is key to solving this issue. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to assess the knowledge of undergraduate medical students and to identify the factors that influenced their knowledge. METHODS: This study used a quantitative cross-sectional evaluation of 327 Saudi Arabian medical students from the first and final years in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, who participated in an online survey via email between March and May 2018. Knowledge of AD was assessed using the 12-item AD Knowledge Test for Health Professionals from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB ADKT). General linear models were used to identify the most significant influence on AD knowledge scores. RESULTS: Only 10.73% of first-year and 33.33% of final-year students scored ≥ 50% on the UAB ADKT. Students pursuing specialties related to AD (adult neurology, geriatrics, or psychiatry) and students aged ≥ 27 years had higher scores (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Undergraduate medical students lacked proper knowledge of AD, suggesting that improvements in education programs can help. Future studies are needed to assess the quality and effectiveness of AD education in the curriculum of Saudi medical schools.