ABSTRACT Introduction: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic compelled educational institutions worldwide to rapidly replace conventional classroom teaching with online learning. In medical education, where direct interaction and clinical exposure are fundamental, this transition raised important concerns regarding learning effectiveness. Understanding students’ experiences with these teaching approaches is, therefore, essential. This study compares undergraduate medical students’ perceptions of online teaching and traditional teaching during the pandemic. Materials and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among MBBS students at All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Bibinagar, Telangana, India. An anonymous online questionnaire containing 11 closed-ended questions compared online teaching with offline teaching across multiple learning parameters, including interaction, comprehension, attention span, and feasibility. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: A total of 55 valid responses were included in the analysis. Offline teaching was consistently rated superior across most parameters. Better teacher preparedness was reported by 80% of students, whereas 73% preferred offline lectures. Improved understanding in offline classes was reported by 87%. Although a minority (29%) perceived online content quality to be better, 91% reported significant challenges with online learning, including connectivity problems, reduced interaction, domestic distractions, and limited access to devices. Conclusion: While online teaching ensured academic continuity during the pandemic, most students favored traditional classroom teaching for its superior engagement, clarity, and interaction. Online learning may serve as a complementary tool, but it cannot fully replace conventional methods in medical education.
Rathod et al. (Thu,) studied this question.