Medical students are increasingly skipping in-person classes in favor of watching recorded lectures, raising concerns about the future of medical education and how it will affect the training of doctors.

The problem: In-person lecture attendance is at an all-time low, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving many to wonder how this trend will impact future doctors and their patient care abilities.
* Students may miss out on the ability to ask questions and build relationships with teachers, which are essential aspects of medical education.

A proposed solution: Implementing a “flipped classroom” model for the first two years of medical school, where students learn classroom material on their own before attending in-person case-based small group sessions.
* This approach retains some in-person elements, such as anatomy labs, patient interview practice, and special guest lectures.

Challenges and questions: The shift to online and blended learning raises questions about the role of medical science coursework, integration of outside resources, tuition costs, and ensuring equal access for students from diverse backgrounds.
* Addressing these challenges requires an understanding of tradeoffs and being proactive in mitigating any negative consequences of these changes.

View original article on NPR

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