How I Do It: A Strategy for Undergraduate Medical Education in Urology During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract Objective To provide a framework for a virtual curriculum during the COVID-19 pandemic for medical student educators that introduces and teaches clinical concepts important in urology and surgical specialties in general. Methods We created a one-week virtual urology course utilizing interactive lectures, case-based exercises, and faculty-proctored surgical video reviews. Students were assigned self-study modules and participated in case-based discussions and presentations on a topic of their choice. Students’ perceptions of urology as a specialty and the utility of the course was evaluated through pre- and post-course surveys. Understanding of urologic content was evaluated with a multiple-choice exam. Results A total of nine students were enrolled in the course. All students reported increased understanding of the common urologic diagnoses and of urology as a specialty by an average of 2.6 points (standard deviation 1.2) on a 10-point Likert scale (p= 0.0002). Additionally, 56% of students reported increased interest, 22% reported no change and 22% reported a decreased interest in pursuing urology as a specialty following the course. Students self-reported increased knowledge of a variety of urologic topics on a 10-point Likert scale. The average exam score on the multiple-choice exam improved from 50% before the course to 89% after the course. Conclusions Various teaching techniques can be employed through a virtual platform to introduce medical students to the specialty of urology and increase clinical knowledge surrounding common urologic conditions. As the longevity of the COVID-19 pandemic becomes increasingly apparent and virtual teaching is normalized, these techniques can have far-reaching utility within the traditional medical student surgical curriculum.