Virtual Pathology Education in Pandemic Times: Challenges, Solutions and Future Implications

Document Type : Commentary

Authors

1 Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Zabol University of Medical Sciences, Zabol, Iran

2 Post-Doctoral Researcher, Medical Education Department, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

In view of the highly contagious nature of SARS-CoV-2, slide reviews with multi-headed microscopes can no longer be a safe approach in pathology instruction. The outbreak has disrupted the routines of pathology education and interactive didactic conferences. The emerging challenge here is to develop practical laboratory sessions in virtual environments. This has given rise to multiple other challenges in the development of virtual pathology education, some of which are highlighted in this commentary. The main difficulties center around the integration of virtual learning technologies into a pathology curriculum and incorporation of digital pathology infrastructure into an educational platform. Maintaining the competency standards in virtual pathology education (VPE) during a pandemic may prove to be another significant challenge. The quality of virtual learning depends on several factors including infrastructure provisions, deployment of modern equipment, faculty knowledge and learner engagement. In response to the educational challenges in pandemic times, VPE has utilized some invaluable digital platforms that provide access to various virtual pathology cases and slide reviews. This commentary examined the impact of COVID-19 on pathology education at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. It also explored the potential solutions to overcome the present challenges and future implications for virtual pathology education and practice.

Keywords

References

Samueli B, Sror N, Jotkowitz A, Taragin B. Remote pathology education during the COVID-19 era: Crisis converted to opportunity. Annals of diagnostic pathology. 2020 Dec 1;49:151612. doi: 10.1016/j.anndiagpath.2020.151612
Senzel L, Ahmed T, Batiste R. Clinical pathology resident education during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Clinical Pathology. 2021 Mar 1;74(3):144-8.  
Kwon R, Zhang ML, VandenBussche CJ. Considerations for remote learning in pathology during COVID‐19 social distancing. Cancer Cytopathology. 2020 Sep 1. doi: 10.1002/cncy.22289
Madrigal E. Going remote: maintaining normalcy in our pathology laboratories during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Cancer cytopathology. 2020 May;128(5):321-2. doi: 10.1002/cncy.22276.
Sadofsky M, Knollmann-Ritschel B, Conran RM, Prystowsky MB. National standards in pathology education: developing competencies for integrated medical school curricula. Archives of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine. 2014 Mar;138(3):328-32. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2013-0404-RA.
White MJ, Birkness JE, Salimian KJ, Meiss AE, Butcher M, Davis K, Ware AD, Zarella MD, Lecksell K, Rooper LM, Cimino-Mathews A. Continuing Undergraduate Pathology Medical Education in the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Global Pandemic: The Johns Hopkins Virtual Surgical Pathology Clinical Elective. Archives of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine. 2021 Jul;145(7):814-20. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2020-0652-SA.
Monroig-Bosque PDC, Hsu JW, Lin MS, Shehabeldin AN, Rogers JT, Kim CF, Kalsekar AG, Jin Z, Cara LR, Barbieri AN, El-Zaatari Z, Eskandari G, Sheu TG, Tomsula JA, Long SW, Zieske AW, Leveque CM, Salazar E, Mody DR, Schwartz MR, Cykowski MD, Yi X, Powell SZ, Thomas JS. Pathology Trainee Redeployment and Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Institutional Experience. Acad Pathol. 2020 Sep 18;7:2374289520953548. doi: 10.1177/2374289520953548.
Balakrishnan R, Singh K, Harigopal M, Fineberg S. A Novel "Google Classroom"-Based Pathology Education Tool for Trainees During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Impactful Learning While Social Distancing. Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2020 Dec 1;144(12):1445b-1447. doi: 10.5858/arpa.2020-0476-LE.
Madrazo JA. New challenges and opportunities for echocardiographic education during the COVID-19 pandemic: a call to focus on competency and pathology. Journal of the American Society of Echocardiography. 2020 Aug 1;33(8):1048-9. doi: 10.1016/j.echo.2020.05.011.
Tabatabai S. COVID-19 impact and virtual medical education. J Adv Med Educ Prof. 2020 Jul;8(3):140-143. doi: 10.30476/jamp.2020.86070.1213.
Lee LM, Goldman HM, Hortsch M. The virtual microscopy database—sharing digital microscope images for research and education. Anatomical sciences education. 2018 Sep;11(5):510-5. doi: 10.1002/ase.1774.
Tabatabai S. Simulations and Virtual Learning Supporting Clinical Education during the COVID 19 Pandemic.  Advances in Medical Education and Practice. 2020:11 513–516. doi: 10.2147/AMEP.S257750 
Interdisciplinary Journal of Virtual Learning in Medical Sciences
Volume 12, Issue 3
September 2021
Pages 219-223

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics