Online Learning Strategies in Medical Education for the Post-Pandemic Era: An Expert Review Based on the ASK2026 and WFME Standards

Since the 1910 Flexner Report, medical education has relied largely on face-to-face instruction as a central mechanism for teaching and professional formation. The COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, however, required a rapid transition to online learning and accelerated disruptive change in medical education. Although initial institutional responses focused on emergency remote teaching, the post-pandemic era requires a deliberate shift toward intentional online learning that is systematically integrated into formal accreditation frameworks. This expert opinion paper examines online medical education models and accreditation standards to propose strategies for integration. Two major accreditation benchmarks are analyzed: the World Federation for Medical Education (WFME) standards for distributed and distance learning (DDL) and the Korean Institute of Medical Education and Evaluation (KIMEE) ASK2026 standards. From an educational design perspective grounded in constructivist and self-regulated learning theories, synchronous learning can enhance social connectedness but may contribute to Zoom fatigue, whereas asynchronous learning can support theoretical knowledge acquisition but requires strong self-regulated learning skills. A comparative analysis shows that the WFME DDL standards adopt a whole-systems approach to quality assurance through dedicated distance-learning criteria, whereas ASK2026 emphasizes qualitative assessment of diverse teaching methods within competency-based curricula. This distinction has important practical implications for Korean medical schools. Future medical education should adopt a carefully designed blended learning model tailored to the distinctive features of medical education, including clinical skills training, professional identity formation, and faculty-student relationships. Institutions should also establish data-driven support systems and strengthen faculty development in online facilitation to meet both ASK2026 and WFME standards.