Investigation of the Strengths and Weaknesses of Virtual Education Based on the Satisfaction of Medical Externs and Measuring the Quality of Clinical Education in the COVID-19 Era at Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, 2020-2021

Background and Objectives The COVID-19 pandemic, with its impact on the educational systems, led to the closure of face-to-face courses and the transition of universities to virtual education. This study was conducted to examine the strengths and weaknesses of virtual education based on measuring the satisfaction of medical externs and the quality of clinical education during the COVID-19 epidemic at the Shahrekord University of Medical Sciences, Shahrekord, Iran. Subjects and Methods This cross-sectional descriptive-correlation study was conducted on all 160 medical interns by census. The required data were collected using a three-part questionnaire consisting of demographic variables, the quality of clinical education, and the e-learning acceptance scale. Data analysis was done in SPSS software version 22. Results The results of the present study showed that the mean score of students' satisfaction with virtual education was 41.67±15.33. It was found that the lowest level of student satisfaction was related to the area of interaction and feedback between students and instructors and the lowest quality from the students' perspective was related to monitoring and evaluation. Moreover, there was a positive and significant correlation between satisfaction with virtual education and parents' job, place of residence, and economic status of students as well as between the quality of clinical education and students' satisfaction with virtual education. Conclusion According to the present study, the level of students' satisfaction with virtual education and clinical quality was not at the desired level. Considering the importance of virtual education in various aspects in the current era, it is highly important to recognize the strengths and weaknesses of this type of education and its related challenges and resolve them.