# Students’ Reflection on Online Clinical Scenario Sessions As Complementary to Online Anatomy Practical Sessions During the COVID-19 Pandemic at the University of Khartoum in 2021

## TL;DR

Medical students at the University of Khartoum found online clinical scenarios helpful for learning anatomy during the pandemic.

## Contribution

This study evaluates the effectiveness of online clinical scenarios as a complementary tool to virtual anatomy teaching during the pandemic.

## Key findings

- Over half of the students felt online clinical scenarios improved their retention of anatomical knowledge.
- Two-thirds of students recommended continuing the use of online clinical scenarios in anatomy education.

## Abstract

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a rapid shift to virtual teaching in medical education. At the Faculty of Medicine, University of Khartoum, all face-to-face sessions were replaced with online instruction during the second wave to reduce transmission risks. This study aimed to evaluate student reflections on the use of online clinical scenarios as a complementary tool to virtual anatomy practical sessions.

Methods

A cross-sectional analytic study was conducted among first-year medical students. Five online clinical scenarios were delivered synchronously via Zoom (Zoom Video Communications, San Jose, CA) to supplement virtual anatomy teaching. At the end of the academic year, students' satisfaction and feedback were gathered using a structured, self-administered questionnaire developed through Google Forms (Google, Inc., Mountain View, CA).

Results

More than half of the respondents (52.7%, n = 68) agreed or strongly agreed that the sessions enhanced their retention of anatomical knowledge and facilitated the study of gross anatomy, while 17.1% (n = 22) disagreed or strongly disagreed (p = 0.003; 95% CI: 0.45-0.60). The perceived effectiveness of the online clinical scenarios was comparable to traditional face-to-face sessions, with nearly two-thirds of participants (64.3%, n = 83) recommending their continued use (p = 0.001; 95% CI: 0.58-0.70).

Conclusion

Students responded positively to the incorporation of online clinical scenarios, viewing them as effective and comparable to conventional teaching methods. These findings support the integration of case-based learning into virtual anatomy education during and beyond pandemic-related disruptions.