An experience of online Pan-India transfusion medicine student’s teaching and assessment during the COVID-19 pandemic: A new initiative in transfusion medicine education in India

BACKGROUND: Medical education was affected globally during the COVID-19 pandemic. To limit its effect on postgraduate education in transfusion medicine in India, an educational program was started with periodic assessments. MATERIALS AND METHODS: An educational program was prepared in the form of modules. Program was named as JG Jolly’s online teaching program for postgraduate students, which was delivered as a series of online interactive lectures in form of modules through the Zoom Application. A total of eleven modules were delivered, followed by posttest assessments for modules I-X. For 5 modules VI to X, both pre- and post-test assessments were done; whereas for module XI, only pretest assessment was done. Participants were categorized based on their duration of residency and the type of educational institute. The percentage scores of the participants were calculated and analyzed for the subcategories. RESULTS: Participation included junior and senior residents across various academic institutes. Posttest assessment had significant differences in the percentage scores in modules II, IV, and V among the students of the different educational institute. At the same time, significant differences were noted for modules I and II among the students of the different years of residency. Third-year junior residents obtained the highest marks in all modules except modules II and VI. The difference between posttest versus pretest percentage scores of modules VI to X was positive, with significant differences in modules VII and IX (12.16% and 14.66%, respectively). CONCLUSION: This study evaluated that JG Jolly’s online teaching program successfully maintained students’ academic environment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multicentric online teaching and assessment is a viable option, especially in the case of a pandemic or disaster.