Students' Perspectives on Online Medical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have contributed to the rise of new digital platforms for online education worldwide. This mode of teaching has its own merits and drawbacks. Yet, it is increasingly recognized as the only viable method of instruction during the pandemic. This study sought to evaluate students’ perceptions of different aspects of online teaching in pandemic times. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 257 undergraduate medical students during October 2020. Their informed consent was obtained, and a validated researcher-made questionnaire with 51 closed-ended items was distributed among them using Google Forms. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22, and all the statistical tests were conducted at a significance level of 5%. Results: Findings revealed that 241 students (93.8%) attended online classes using smartphones, whereas only 4 students (1.6%) used laptops. Most students (n=164, 63.8%) were conversant with the use of internet/online apps (p