Internal Medicine Clerkship Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study of the Clinical Learning Experience of Undergraduate Medical Students at Makerere University, Uganda
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Date
2021
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Advances in Medical Education and Practice
Abstract
The coronavirus-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic continues to impose
a significant impact on medical education. We aimed to describe the clinical learning
experience of undergraduate medical students undertaking internal medicine clerkship during
the COVID-19 pandemic at Makerere University, Uganda.
Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study among medical students in clinical years of
study pursuing the Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery undergraduate degree
program was conducted in November 2020. Only 3rd (junior clerks) and 5th (senior
clerks) year medical students whose internal medicine clerkships were interrupted by the
COVID-19 pandemic were studied.
Results: Data of 188 (95%) eligible clinical year students; junior (101, 54.0%) and senior
(86, 46.0%) were analysed. Median age was 24 (range: 22–42) years. Majority (70.1%) were
male and Ugandan nationals (94.1%). Sixty-four (30.3%) students reported inadequate
personal protective equipment, 152 (81.7%) felt at risk of contracting COVID-19, and 127
(67.9%) said it was difficult to observe COVID-19 standard operating procedures. Twentytwo
students (11.9%) were discouraged from pursuing a career in internal medicine. Overall,
most students reported good or excellent clinical experience pre-COVID-19 era compared to
during the COVID-19 era (4.0 vs 3.5, p<0.0001). Senior clerks significantly believed that the
time allocated for the rotation was adequate (p<0.0001) and they were able to complete their
study objectives (p<0.001), compared to the junior clerks. Senior clerks believed that
learning was difficult when combined with junior clerks (p=0.013). About half of the
students (51.4%, n=95) reported clinical teaching should remain as it was in the pre-
COVID-19 era.
Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significantly negative effect on the clinical
learning experience of the students. There is need to review the current teaching and learning
methods to suit teaching and learning during pandemics of highly infectious diseases to
ensure safe and effective learning experience.
Description
Keywords
Clinical learning experience, COVID-19, Internal medicine, Makerere University
Citation
Bongomin, F., Olum, R., Nakiyingi, L., Lalitha, R., Ssinabulya, I., Sekaggya-Wiltshire, C., ... & Byakika-Kibwika, P. (2021). Internal medicine clerkship amidst COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study of the clinical learning experience of undergraduate medical students at Makerere University, Uganda. Advances in Medical Education and Practice, 12, 253.