Telehealth consultation in medical education: a mixed methods study of medical students' and educators' experiences

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telehealth in healthcare delivery and education. However, the integration of telehealth into medical curricula is often limited to institutional initiatives and remains scattered. This raises questions about the experienced barriers and enablers for education in telehealth consultation. ObjectiveThis study sought to explore medical students and educators experiences with telehealth consultations in academic and clinical learning environments during the pandemic in the United Kingdom. MethodsA cross-sectional mixed-methods design was employed. Quantitative data was gathered via online questionnaires, while qualitative insights were derived from semi-structured interviews. A total of 248 participants (153 students, 87 educators) responded to the survey, of those, 23 participants (13 students, 10 educators) were interviewed. ResultsTelehealth consultations were primarily taught and delivered during clinical placements. The pandemic and subsequent educational adjustments were identified as enabling factors. Exposure to telehealth increased students confidence and readiness, particularly through active participation in consultations. Barriers included inadequate technical infrastructure, lack of confidential spaces, and limited confidence of educators teaching telehealth consultation. ConclusionThe findings highlight the need for an integrated telehealth curriculum that incorporates practical exposure and addresses technical limitations in both universities as well as healthcare settings.