Digitalization of medical and healthcare education in a Low- and middle-income country: a mixed-method case study of institutional transformation at Yerevan State Medical University.

INTRODUCTION

Digitalizing healthcare professionals' education for the future is essential to ensure the availability of skilled medical professionals across settings, particularly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including underprivileged and disaster-hit regions. The process of translating theories into practice through digitization is challenging, and in this paper, we present a pathway based on Yerevan State Medical University (YSMU)'s experience with this process.

METHODS

The university has utilized constructive and activity-based approaches to integrate online learning, simulation, telemedicine, tele-education, and hybrid learning into its educational process. The preparatory work for the modern healthcare education approaches introduced in 2019-2022 has enabled the university to facilitate the transition to digital media, improve educators' and students' digital literacy, and develop evaluation methods that may help continue education during regional tensions and even throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, but also beyond, to intensify the learning experience with modern technology.

RESULTS

Student evaluation outcomes revealed a high degree of perceived satisfaction (overall satisfaction rate 90.2%) and self-reported improvement in theoretical knowledge, clinical skills, self-confidence, and digital literacy. The findings described student perceptions and institutional experiences of the respondents and not objectively measured improvement in learning outcomes.

DISCUSSION: This case study presents a single institutional route to overcoming infrastructure, technological, pedagogical, language, and equity barriers in digitizing medical education; whether this route can produce similar outcomes in other LMIC contexts remains to be tested.