Reflection on experience of online education of medical students (on the example of Rostov State Medical University)

Introduction. The article explores the possibility of achieving quality education in medical specialties based on the use of online learning technologies. The significance of this issue is conditioned by two factors: the high rate of digitalization of higher education and some features of medical education, which, presumably, are not compatible with the content characteristics of online learning. This hypothesis needs empirical verification. The aim of the article is to evaluate the relationship between the transition to online learning and the probabilistic decrease in the quality of education of medical students. Methods. The main method of collecting empirical information is a mass survey. The time of its realization is February-March 2023. The empirical object is the students of Rostov State Medical University who have experience of online learning as medical students during social self-isolation. The sample population amounted to 1509 respondents. Results and its discussion. The model of online learning is rejected as relevant by the majority of medical students surveyed in RostSMU. According to all proposed evaluation indicators, the relationship between quality education and information-technological capabilities of online learning is not established. Online learning can be considered only as a tool of additional education in relation to classical classroom-contact learning. Under these conditions, forced onlineization of higher medical education is inadmissible, because it will lead to a decrease in its quality. The consequence may be irreparable damage to public health and the ability of individual citizens to receive medical care of adequate quality. Modern medical education must remain moderately conservative. Under these conditions, switching to online education would be an irrational choice for RostSMU management.