Perceptions of medical students toward teledermatology as an educational tool: a cross-sectional study
Metadata
Show full item recordEditorial
Frontiers
Materia
Education Teaching Teledermatology Telemedicine Store-and-forward
Date
2023-06-28Referencia bibliográfica
Ureña-Paniego C, Soto-Moreno A, Montero-Vílchez T, Martínez-López A, Buendía-Eisman A and Arias-Santiago S (2023) Perceptions of medical students toward teledermatology as an educational tool: a cross-sectional study. Front. Med. 10:1206727. doi: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1206727
Abstract
Introduction: Teledermatology consultations have recently been on the rise,
especially due to the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. The role of teledermatology has
been extensively discussed as a mean for the education of dermatology residents.
Nevertheless, little has been explored on its use as a pedagogical tool for medical
students. The objectives of this study were to assess the level of satisfaction of
medical students with teledermatology and to evaluate their opinion about its use
as an educational tool.
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out at the Dermatology Department,
Hospital Universitario Virgen de las Nieves, Granada (Spain). Participants were
fourth-year medical students. Every student would spend half of their internship
in face-to-face consultations and the other half in teledermatology consultations.
Data was collected via self-administered questionnaires.
Results: Eighty one students were finally surveyed, being 66.67% (73/81) female.
A majority of students considered a mixed clinical internship model (face-toface
consultations combined with teledermatology) more suitable for obtaining
higher marks in the subject of dermatology and in the Medical Intern Resident
exam (p = 0.04). Nevertheless, face-to-face practice was considered more useful
for their training as general practitioners (p = 0.04).
Conclusion: Despite the fact that students highly value doctor-patient relationship,
teledermatology is considered a powerful educational tool.