Turkish medical students' perspectives on the advantages and disadvantages of telemedicine: scale development and psychometric evaluation.

BACKGROUND

The rise of digital technology and the COVID-19 pandemic have accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, yet its integration into medical education remains limited. Understanding the perceptions of future physicians is vital for the sustainable implementation of these services and for developing evidence-based telemedicine training programs. This study aims to assess the awareness and perception of telemedicine among medical students in Türkiye and provide empirical evidence to inform curriculum development.

METHODS

This nationwide survey included 810 medical students from six universities in Türkiye. A valid and reliable 19-item questionnaire was developed to measure participants’ perceptions of telemedicine. The questionnaire used a 5-choice Likert-type scale. The data were analyzed using exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis to determine the scale’s validity and reliability.

RESULTS

The final 11-item scale demonstrated strong validity and reliability, with a two-factor structure: “Advantages of Telemedicine” and “Disadvantages of Telemedicine.” The results showed that students largely perceive telemedicine as beneficial, particularly for preventive health services. However, they also expressed concerns, with the highest-rated disadvantage being that telemedicine might create a distance between the doctor and patient. The students rated “increased health inequalities” as the lowest concern. These findings reveal specific competency gaps and training needs that should be addressed in medical curricula.

CONCLUSION

The findings suggest that medical students in Türkiye hold a generally positive view of telemedicine, recognizing its potential advantages in healthcare. While they are aware of some ethical concerns, such as the potential for a distant doctor-patient relationship, they see telemedicine as a tool to reduce health inequalities. This validated scale provides a foundation for designing targeted telemedicine training programs, assessing educational outcomes, and identifying specific competencies that require emphasis in medical school curricula. We propose a competency-based framework and specific pedagogical approaches to prepare future physicians for effective telemedicine practice.