key: cord-0751310-j3dwsnvw
authors: Oki, O.; Shah, S.; Scrivens, L.; Guckian, J.
title: COVID‐19: Challenges and solutions for the future of UK dermatology undergraduate curriculum delivery
date: 2020-07-19
journal: Clin Exp Dermatol
DOI: 10.1111/ced.14386
sha: 732237afcc8d7b25392dd9c2d497810cb806637a
doc_id: 751310
cord_uid: j3dwsnvw

The COVID‐19 pandemic has left dermatology practice in disarray globally. Patient‐facing services have been compromised for patients and clinicians alike. The implications of such disruption for dermatology undergraduate education are unknown. Numerous undergraduate programmes have faced disruption, with teaching postponed or featuring reformatted, ad‐hoc delivery. Following the pandemic, it is anticipated UK medical education will face a ‘new normal’, with a much greater emphasis on technology‐enhanced learning(1). This presents a challenge to dermatology educators as we reflect upon our undergraduate curriculum delivery in an uncertain climate.

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The COVID-19 pandemic has left dermatology practice in disarray globally. Patient-facing services have been compromised for patients and clinicians alike. The implications of such disruption for dermatology undergraduate education are unknown. Numerous undergraduate programmes have faced disruption, with teaching postponed or featuring reformatted, ad-hoc delivery. Following the pandemic, it is anticipated UK medical education will face a 'new normal', with a much greater emphasis on technology-enhanced learning 1 . This presents a challenge to dermatology educators as we reflect upon our undergraduate curriculum delivery in an uncertain climate.

The most recent curriculum review occurred in 2015 2 . This review reported that, pre-pandemic, most dermatology education was delivered via a secondary care rotation in the fourth year of study, with a strong predilection for clinic-based observation and teaching. The report also called for greater use of online resources and collaboration between medical schools. ***TABLE 1*** To continue to provide patient care during the pandemic and beyond, outpatient clinics have been augmented by teledermatology, with dermatologists offering telephone or video consultations.

However, this clearly presents challenges for student clinics. In such a scenario, observing clinics immediately becomes more complex, presenting practical issues which range from technical threats to patient consent and time-pressures. Access to cohort-wide lectures may be restricted, further compromising the 'traditional' delivery of undergraduate education.

There are numerous examples of web-based materials in dermatology education, though the uptake of such resources is unknown, and their efficacy is poorly evidenced. However, innovations such as gamified learning have been well-received by medical students and found to consolidate lecture-based teaching. 3 Such resources could be adapted for virtual delivery in the context of social distancing. The use of dermatology resources on social media for professionals and by educational institutions may also be a suitable approach.

Many of the pre-existing threats to dermatology education, such as overwhelming patient numbers and educator shortages, are likely to be exacerbated in the aftermath of the pandemic. 1 Educators must adapt and seek to sustainably supplement any clinic-based teaching both during the

This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved pandemic and beyond. Indeed, the Medical Schools Council has provided initial guidance on how education may be successfully continued in the upcoming academic year 4 . ***FIGURE 1*** Whilst these recommendations are promising, we have highlighted a number of practical solutions for offering flexible, non-patient-facing opportunities to deliver content. ***TABLE 2*** The current COVID-19 pandemic has served as a stark reminder that medical education must adapt to keep up with an increasingly changing world, to ensure continued delivery of teaching when traditional methods cannot be relied upon. Clinical experience should remain at the cornerstone of dermatology education, however the traditional delivery of such education may not survive the pandemic. As medical education inevitably reorganises, it is essential that the dermatology educational community reflects on innovation so as to deliver effective, sustainable approaches to teaching. We strongly suggest that it would be timely to consider a new review of the undergraduate dermatology curriculum, prioritising collaborative working and technology enhanced learning in the domains of workplace and classroom education. 

A vision of the use of technology in medical education after the COVID-19 pandemic

Dermatological content of U.K. undergraduate curricula in 2015: full report. London: British Association of Dermatologists

Exploring the perspectives of dermatology undergraduates with an escape room game

Accepted Article

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16 53Teaching clinic 16 53

Other e-lectures 14 47

Critical appraisal 7 23Expert patient workshops 5 17