Medical Students in Russia Evaluate the Training During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Student Survey

Background: The aim of the study was to obtain feedback from medical students in Russia regarding their e-learning experience during COVID-19 Pandemic. Methods 13 040 students from 46 Medical Schools in Russia completed an original evaluation form validated by 6 experts. Criterion and construct validity were determined in a pilot study (n = 46). The study design was based on the use of Google forms. Participants used the Visual Analog Scale from 1 to 10 to assess the level of knowledge acquired. Results 95.31% of medical schools in Russia switched to e-learning during the Pandemic. 39.8% of the students stated that the time to prepare for the class has doubled. For 19.9% of them, it increased by one third, while 26.6% did not report any changes. 38,4% of the participants are satisfied with particular elements of e-learning, 27.5% like such a format, 22.9% do not like it, and 11.2% could not answer the question. The average scores for the knowledge assessment were 5.9 for the humanities, 6.1 for fundamental science, and 6.0 for clinical training. Conclusions Remote learning was described by medical undergraduates in Russia as the increase in self-instruction time and the decrease in the level of knowledge gained. Only particular components of the “new normal” can be considered for use beyond the pandemic.