Learning During COVID-19: Rapid E-Learning Transition at a Regional Medical School Campus

Abstract

COVID-19 has changed the day-to-day landscape of education for students, faculty, and staff worldwide, and this is especially true for students in health sciences and medical education programs. This paper explores the effects of the rapid shift to e-learning modalities for students at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Northwest, a regional medical campus located in Northwest Arkansas. A survey and open-ended written interview questions was conducted with a total of 144 student respondents and in-depth follow up interviews were conducted with 29 of those students. Utilizing descriptive statistics and qualitative descriptive analysis, the survey and interviews explored the effects of COVID-19 on the lived experiences of students as part of the transition to e-learning.  We found that 64.5% students reported satisfaction with the transition to e-learning as good or very good and the primary themes that influenced e-learning success for students were: Communication, technology, pedagogy, and community.