Delivering a remote induction programme for dental core trainees: an innovative learner-centric approach during the COVID-19 pandemic

摘要

The COVID-19 pandemic has without question been the greatest challenge to patient care in the history of the National Health Service. Unfortunately, the impact on surgical and dental postgraduate training has been severe, and is likely to continue for some time.1-4 Secondary care has seen cancellation of elective surgical procedures, staff redeployment and a shift from face-to-face patient interactions to remote/telephone appointments, all resulting in a significant decline in learning opportunities for trainees. Such challenges have highlighted the need for flexibility and innovation in surgical as well as dental postgraduate training. One positive outcome from the pandemic has been the way in which educational bodies, trainers and trainees have adapted to the disruption.7 The movement to online-based teaching sessions has allowed an element of continuity in surgical education. Using platforms such as Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, San Jose, CA, US) or Teams (Microsoft, Redmond, WA, US) to deliver video conference-based teaching during the pandemic has grown in popularity, allowing large groups to be assembled that can then move into breakout rooms forming online workshops, with novel features such as live online participant quizzing or polling.