The Abrupt Educational Switch: Impact of COVID-19 and Lessons Learned for Health Science Faculty and Students

Purpose: The abrupt educational transition from in-class to virtual instruction during spring of 2020 found many faculty and students in uncharted territory. The purpose of this study was to survey both faculty and students in the School of Health Sciences to better understand the switch from face-to-face instruction to remote learning. Methods: Both qualitative and quantitative data was collected regarding this experience. The first task was to identify faculty’s responses and actions taken, perception of alternative teaching experience and impact on student learning, determine needs to prepare and address new course design and delivery, and explore perception of changes to healthcare professions. The second task was to explore students' perceptions of their chosen health professions based on experience with COVID-19, their educational experience during Spring 2020, the impact of remote learning on clinical decision making/critical thinking with COVID-19 as a new reality in healthcare environments, and to identify anticipated needs for continued education with alternate course delivery methods. Results: The majority of faculty felt prepared for the switch, most delivered asynchronous course vs. synchronous interactive on-line classroom learning, and courses such as labs, clinicals, simulations and internships faced greater difficulties. Students reported that faculty did a good job of adjusting to remote learning, appreciated their level of accommodation and flexibility, especially given that almost two-thirds reported experiencing stress and anxiety during this time, felt prepared for this transition, but miss the face-to-face classroom experience. Based on experience with COVID-19, students’ perceptions of future health-care careers were both positive and negative. Conclusion: The implications of results are discussed, “take-aways” and “best practices” provided, along with identifying limitations and future research.