Adapting to the challenges of the global pandemic on genetic counselor education: Evaluating students’ satisfaction with virtual clinical experiences

Jacobs, C; McEwen, A

Adapting to the challenges of the global pandemic on genetic counselor education: Evaluating students’ satisfaction with virtual clinical experiences

Jacobs, C

McEwen, A

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Publisher:: Wiley
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2021, 30, (4), pp. 1074-1083
Issue Date:: 2021-07-26

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Jacobs, C https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9557-9080
dc.contributor.author	McEwen, A https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8705-1190
dc.date.accessioned	2021-09-06T05:22:22Z
dc.date.available	2021-07-06
dc.date.available	2021-09-06T05:22:22Z
dc.date.issued	2021-07-26
dc.identifier.citation	Journal of Genetic Counseling, 2021, 30, (4), pp. 1074-1083
dc.identifier.issn	1059-7700
dc.identifier.issn	1573-3599
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/150361
dc.description.abstract	Travel restrictions, physical distancing, and limits to clinical placements due to the global pandemic raised enormous challenges for genetic counseling education in 2020. In response, we created authentic virtual clinical experiences in our Master of Genetic Counseling program, mimicking clinical practice: virtual simulation with standardized clients, and virtual clinical placements, including intake calls, triage, consultations, teamwork and time management, and genetic counseling with standardized clients. The virtual clinical experiences involved online pre-brief, simulation, and debrief. We aimed to evaluate students' satisfaction with this learning method. Between April and November 2020, we distributed an anonymous online survey to all participating students using a modified version of a validated satisfaction with simulation scale. We analyzed the combined responses from first- and second-year virtual clinical experiences using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The total number of possible responses was 120. The mean response rate was 68.36% (n = 82.03), with a mean of 16.41 participants responding to each survey from each year group. Of the first-year participants, 53% (n = 10) had not observed a genetic counseling consultation before attending the virtual clinical placement. Overall, 92.5% of responses indicated that students were satisfied with the virtual clinical experiences (SD = 0.05). 100% (n = 82) of responses indicated that working with standardized clients was beneficial to learning, encouraged reflection on clinical ability and was a valuable learning experience overall. However, 37.78% (n = 17) of those who participated in the virtual simulation found that the use of Zoom detracted from their clinical learning. The virtual clinical experiences increased first-year students' confidence about clinical placement and prepared second-year students for telehealth. In conclusion, the adaptation to virtual clinical experiences enhanced learning for most students, prepared them for practice, met the requirements of the accreditation body and enabled all of our final year students to graduate on time.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Wiley
dc.relation.ispartof	Journal of Genetic Counseling
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1002/jgc4.1490
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject	1103 Clinical Sciences
dc.subject.classification	Genetics & Heredity
dc.title	Adapting to the challenges of the global pandemic on genetic counselor education: Evaluating students’ satisfaction with virtual clinical experiences
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	30
utslib.location.activity	United States
utslib.for	1103 Clinical Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Graduate School of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Graduate School of Health/GSH.Genetic Counselling
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2021-09-06T05:22:22Z
pubs.issue	4
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	30
utslib.citation.issue	4

Abstract:

Travel restrictions, physical distancing, and limits to clinical placements due to the global pandemic raised enormous challenges for genetic counseling education in 2020. In response, we created authentic virtual clinical experiences in our Master of Genetic Counseling program, mimicking clinical practice: virtual simulation with standardized clients, and virtual clinical placements, including intake calls, triage, consultations, teamwork and time management, and genetic counseling with standardized clients. The virtual clinical experiences involved online pre-brief, simulation, and debrief. We aimed to evaluate students' satisfaction with this learning method. Between April and November 2020, we distributed an anonymous online survey to all participating students using a modified version of a validated satisfaction with simulation scale. We analyzed the combined responses from first- and second-year virtual clinical experiences using descriptive statistics and content analysis. The total number of possible responses was 120. The mean response rate was 68.36% (n = 82.03), with a mean of 16.41 participants responding to each survey from each year group. Of the first-year participants, 53% (n = 10) had not observed a genetic counseling consultation before attending the virtual clinical placement. Overall, 92.5% of responses indicated that students were satisfied with the virtual clinical experiences (SD = 0.05). 100% (n = 82) of responses indicated that working with standardized clients was beneficial to learning, encouraged reflection on clinical ability and was a valuable learning experience overall. However, 37.78% (n = 17) of those who participated in the virtual simulation found that the use of Zoom detracted from their clinical learning. The virtual clinical experiences increased first-year students' confidence about clinical placement and prepared second-year students for telehealth. In conclusion, the adaptation to virtual clinical experiences enhanced learning for most students, prepared them for practice, met the requirements of the accreditation body and enabled all of our final year students to graduate on time.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/150361