PRINCE KUMAR
Ranchi, Feb 26: The unprecedented outbreak of Covid-19 had forced the medical students of Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) to enter into the world of online classes for which the learning experience involves authentic patient experience under the guidance of a teacher.
The MBBS pursuing students entering the online world had to suffer the loss of practical experience with the induction of online classes but also had several benefits too.
According to the faculty members at RIMS, the advantages of online classes were plenty though the fact cannot be ignored that practical experience over patients plays a crucial role in learning.
“Study-from-home allowed medical students to open more focused time on subjects and adapt self-discipline, which makes them more productive. Also with the help of the internet the students went beyond the course books and explored answers from real-world scenarios,” a faculty member at RIMS said.
A student in his 3rd year of MBBS said that during the initial phase of lockdown in 2020 the students were not allowed inside the premises of the RIMS which hampered the practicals at that time but online classes were going on.
“As the online classes were started as soon as the lockdown was imposed we didn’t face any gap in studies and moreover from September 2020, we were allowed inside the campus for practicals while classes were continued in the online medium itself,” the 3rd-year student said.
On the question of whether the practicals were compensated after the practicals were started inside the premises, the student said that the duration of the practical classes was increased and the practical classes were also increased to compensate for the loss.
Dr. Pallavi Guha who has been doing an internship in the college said that for four months no students were allowed on the campus which definitely hindered the studies but the continuous online support helped the students in being updated.
“However, in September 2020 the practical classes started which helped us learn more and get through the practical experience of what was taught during the online classes,” Dr. Guha said.
Dr. Vidya Sagar, Dean of RIMS, said that abiding by the state government’s covid-19 protocols the classes were suspended for the safety and security of the students which had a serious impact on the classes of the students.
“As the classes resumed, we tried our level best to make up for the loss suffered by the students. Though the online classes continued, the fact cannot be ignored that the online classes are of no match with the physical classes,” Dr. Sagar said.
According to an expert, India’s population is enormous and medical crises such as Covid-19 reflected the high disproportionate doctor per patient ratio.
“Here, practising students can play a vital role in bridging the demand and supply by practising what they have learned under the supervision of on-duty doctors. This will also allow the students to warm up with the idea of delivering a good patient experience via video consultations and become a part of Telehealth that is the future of the medical industry,” an expert said.
