The outcomes of a telemedicine-based introductory clinical clerkship: an innovative educational model

Telemedicine has long been recognized as an effective means of providing healthcare, yet it remained underutilized for decades. However, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, telemedicine began to influence not only medical practice but also medical education. A remote telemedicine-based clerkship introduced to third-year medical students as a part of their introductory clinical education. The program aimed to enhance students’ experience with telemedicine as a tool for healthcare delivery. This study explores the outcomes of students’ experience with telemedicine as a tool for healthcare delivery. A cross-sectional survey design was employed, involving 50 third-year medical students who participated voluntarily in a remote, telemedicine-based elective clerkship. The clerkship consisted of online presentations, real-time video consultations with patients conducted by an educator/physician, pre-recorded video consultations, and group discussions. Students’ knowledge and perceptions of as a healthcare delivery were assessed through pre-test and post-test questionnaires. The study revealed a significant shift in students’ perceptions of telemedicine, highlighting increased acceptance and recognition of its advantages, including improved medical history-taking (anamnesis), more efficient time management, and greater accessibility for remote patient care. Despite the positive outcomes, concerns persisted regarding the necessity of physical examinations, patients’ technological proficiency, and the risk for misdiagnosis. There was also a statistically significant increase in students’ willingness to use telemedicine in their future medical careers and their trust in telemedicine-based prescriptions. The elective clerkship on telemedicine effectively enhanced students’ competencies in virtual care and positively shaped their attitudes toward integrating telemedicine must be addressed to facilitate its broader acceptance and implementation in the medical fields, including education.