Medical and Dental Students in a Sub-Saharan African Country Re-think Teaching, Learning and Assessment During and After COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-sectional Study
Authors: Okoromah Christy AN , OKOROMAH CHRISTY , Savage Fuad , Udotong Goodness , Ike Jessica , Buchi-Njere Oluchi , Nwobu Michael , Owate Oribolawale , Adeyeye Adebisi , Eze Ugochukwu , Okei Jennifer 
Published: October 2023

Abstract
Background
The advent of COVID-19, the speed and scale of its global transmission and disruption led to lockdowns and school closures. The pandemic triggered a rethinking of the predominantly face-to-face, traditional educational strategies and methodologies in sub-Saharan African countries. This survey aimed to gain insights on the perspectives of undergraduate medical and dental students on teaching, learning and assessment during and after COVID-19 pandemic in a public medical school in Lagos, Nigeria.
Methods
This was a descriptive, cross-sectional e-survey-based study undertaken in 2021 over six months involving 230 undergraduate medical and dental students randomly recruited across all five training levels (200–600) of the College of Medicine University of Lagos. Respondents were variably distributed across the pre-clinical and clinical years; and across two curriculum pathways (SPICCES and the traditional curricula).
Result
The questionnaire response rate was 93.3%, and respondents consisted of 78.6% and 21.4% medical (MBBS) and dental students, and 55.7% and 44.3% females and males respectively, with a mean age of 22.1 ± 2.39 years (range: 18–33 years). Students perception of overall effect of COVID-19 pandemic on undergraduate medical and dental education was negative in 90.7%, compared with 2.2% positive and 7.1% neutral respondents respectively. The majority (96.8%) of the respondents had never been tested for COVID-19 and 3.2% of respondents had contracted symptomatic COVID-19. Teaching and learning were rated average relating to conduciveness of environment (mean score 2.5 ± 1.012), personal and workplace safety (mean 2.8 ± 1.01), and personal protection and safety measures (mean 2.7 ± 1.00) prior to COVID-19 pandemic. Increased risk of infection to students during climical and laboratory activities was a dominant concern. Over 60% expressed concern for increased risks of infection to students on school resumption and over 70% recommended curriculum modifications including incorporation of online learning, curriculum modification to decentralize teaching and learning in multiple health facilities for clinical clerkships. About 80.4% were willing to return to the traditional method of face-to-face teaching if adequate infection control protocol are deployed and over 75% agreed that curriculum modifications that incorporate online learning will be beneficial to learning and safety.
Conclusion
Overall, teaching and learning were perceived to be poor by medical and dental students. Frustrations predicated on pandemic lockdown, protracted disruption of academic work, delayed academic progression and graduation as well as safety concerns, may have contributed to their overall poor perception. The findings from these survey are germane for institutional leaders, policy-makers, educational managers, and for future interventional research.