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Enhancing Practitioner Skills Through Virtual Shadowing and Career Exploration

Enhancing Practitioner Skills Through Virtual Shadowing and Career Exploration

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted traditional avenues of medical education, particularly the practice of clinical observerships or shadowing. This disruption has posed challenges for pre-clerkship students in exploring potential career paths and preparing for future clinical roles. A recent research article titled In the shadows: medical student clinical observerships and career exploration in the face of COVID-19 sheds light on the impact of these changes and offers insights into alternative methods for career exploration. This blog aims to help practitioners enhance their skills by implementing the outcomes of this research or encouraging further exploration of these innovative strategies.

Understanding the Impact of COVID-19 on Shadowing

The pandemic has necessitated restrictions on in-person shadowing due to safety concerns and limited supervision capacity. As a result, medical schools have prioritized clinical clerkships and residents, often prohibiting shadowing for pre-clerkship learners. This has led to inequitable access to career exploration opportunities, exacerbating existing disparities related to geography and social capital.

Students from privileged backgrounds have been able to leverage personal connections to engage in "underground shadowing," while others face increased anxiety and fear of missing out on valuable career exploration and networking opportunities.

Virtual Shadowing: A Promising Alternative

In response to these challenges, virtual shadowing has emerged as a potential solution. While it cannot fully replicate the in-person experience, virtual shadowing allows students to engage in online conversations with physicians, expanding access to a wider variety of clinical practices that might otherwise be restricted by geographic or socioeconomic barriers.

However, the high demand for virtual shadowing necessitates equitable access strategies, such as a lottery system to allocate opportunities. This ensures that all students have a fair chance to benefit from these experiences.

Complementary Career Exploration Activities

In addition to virtual shadowing, several alternative activities can help students bridge the gap in career exploration:

Addressing Student Anxiety and Uncertainty

The pandemic has heightened student anxieties related to career exploration and professional development. To address these concerns, frequent communication and transparency from faculty are essential. Additionally, creating avenues for students to connect with peers over shared worries can help normalize these unprecedented changes.

Suggestions include informal class-wide virtual events, formal virtual town hall meetings with student leaders, and student-run podcasts to discuss the challenges and adaptations in medical education during the pandemic.

Conclusion

While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted traditional shadowing opportunities, it has also paved the way for innovative approaches to career exploration and learning. Virtual shadowing, mentorship programs, and other complementary activities show promise in overcoming barriers and preserving student morale and confidence. Practitioners are encouraged to explore these strategies further to enhance their skills and support the next generation of medical professionals.

To read the original research paper, please follow this link: In the shadows: medical student clinical observerships and career exploration in the face of COVID-19.


Citation: Li, M. K., Pieris, D., Xu, G., & Law, M. (2021). In the shadows: medical student clinical observerships and career exploration in the face of COVID-19. Canadian Medical Education Journal, 12(3), 179-181. https://doi.org/10.36834/cmej.71523
Marnee Brick, President, TinyEYE Therapy Services

Author's Note: Marnee Brick, TinyEYE President, and her team collaborate to create our blogs. They share their insights and expertise in the field of Speech-Language Pathology, Online Therapy Services and Academic Research.

Connect with Marnee on LinkedIn to stay updated on the latest in Speech-Language Pathology and Online Therapy Services.

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