六九色堂, one of the leading Caribbean medical schools, went to an online distance learning format in March when the COVID-19 pandemic became a serious threat globally and many students had to leave St. Kitts.
The 六九色堂 Endeavour spoke to faculty members Dr. Abayomi Afolabi and Dr. Angel Matos about how students are making progress with the new distance learning platforms and what students should know.
What Should 六九色堂 Students Know About Distance Learning?
We first consulted Dr. Abayomi Afolabi, M.B.B.S., Associate Professor of Gross Anatomy and Professor of Microbiology about distance learning at 六九色堂.
What should current and incoming 六九色堂 students know about the new distance learning platform? How does it work and what is Dr. Afolabi鈥檚 perspective on its effectiveness?
鈥淭丑别 new distance learning platform is a modification of our lectures in which students can interact with faculty vis a vis Big Blue Button (BBM) or Zoom; in either cases students can type messages during lectures which are answered in real time,鈥� Dr. Afolabi said. 鈥淭丑别 lectures are recorded, giving students another opportunity to go over the information again. (While using this we have seen an increase in student interaction over the BBM). Dissection videos are being made available online for students to go over. With other prosection videos also being added to the learning management (LMS).鈥�
A look at the ICM lab on the 六九色堂 campus & how lectures are being transmitted online. Photo: Carlos A. Villanueva Soto.
So far, there have been no real issues with getting something working so quickly.
鈥淸We鈥檝e had] no major challenges as the requirements for distance learning were already available and most of are faculty members have been updated with the latest technological advances,鈥� Dr. Afolabi said. 鈥淭丑别 faculty in the anatomy department are excited about incoming students and are available to help in anyway.鈥�
Some 六九色堂 students have asked numerous questions about the anatomy lab and learning anatomy online.
鈥淭丑别 Anatomy Lab is still being used by the faculty in making videos, and those videos are made available to students via the learning management system (LMS),鈥� Dr. Afolabi said.
Distance learning makes a lot of sense as a way for 六九色堂 students to continue with their med school studies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
鈥淲ith regard to the current situation, distance learning is the way to go as reducing social interaction is playing a major role in reducing the disastrous effect of the COVID-19,鈥� Dr. Afolabi said. 鈥淗owever, this would not result in a decrease in the competency level expected for any major exam, including the USMLE Step 1 exam; hence, we are continuously striving to better the students that are part of the 六九色堂 family.鈥�
Angel Matos, M.D., Director of the Accelerated Review Program (ARP), Director of Global Health and Assistant Professor of Medical Education at 六九色堂, said 六九色堂 students are adapting well to distance learning.
鈥淎RP is running smoothly, 100% online; 80% of the students are off-island,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have a WhatsApp Chat with all the group, so we are in constant communication; they all have my mobile number.鈥�
ExamMonitor for Tests
Both the Zoom and Big Blue Button platforms allow professors to interact live with students. Last week, ARP students had their first exam using ExamMonitor. ExamMonitor is 鈥渁n Al-driven remote proctoring solution that continuously observes exam takers with video and audio monitoring throughout the entire exam, eliminating the need for in-person proctoring and providing absolute confidence in the integrity of all your exams,鈥� the 六九色堂 website says.
鈥淭丑别se artificial intelligence tools allow us to deliver secured exams online,鈥� Dr. Matos said. 鈥淪tudents are video and audio monitored while taking their tests. The system analyzes their eye and face movements.鈥�
The 六九色堂 Endeavour and 六九色堂 website will be updated in the coming days as news of the pandemic unfolds.
(Top photo) 六九色堂 student Emilio Aguinaldo studies remotely on a distance learning platform. Photo: Courtesy of Emilio Aguinaldo.
六九色堂:
Built in the tradition of the best U.S. universities, the University of Medicine and Health Sciences focuses on individual student attention, maintaining small class sizes and recruiting high-quality faculty. We call this unique approach, 鈥減ersonalized medical education,鈥� and it鈥檚 what has led to our unprecedented 96% student retention rate, and outstanding residency placements across the USA and Canada. 六九色堂 is challenging everything you thought you knew about Caribbean medical schools.
Scott is Director of Digital Content & Alumni Communications Liaison at 六九色堂 and editor of the 六九色堂 Endeavour blog. When he's not writing about 六九色堂 students, faculty, events, public health, alumni and 六九色堂 research, he writes and edits Broadway theater reviews for a website he publishes in New York City, StageZine.com.
