The utility and educational impact of a virtual webinar to deliver an international undergraduate cardiovascular conference

Introduction Conferences are an important avenue for dissemination of knowledge, research and provide networking opportunities for career development. The COVID-19 pandemic has prompted adoption of virtual platforms for delivery of these conferences. The aim of the study was to determine the utility and educational impact of a student-led virtual webinar to deliver an undergraduate cardiovascular conference compared to a traditional in-person conference. Methods We conducted a two-day virtual conference using the Zoom platform in June 2021. The conference consisted of cardiology subspecialty lectures and workshops conducted by a junior doctor, senior cardiology trainees and consultants. The conference also outlaid a virtual poster hall and oral presentation session while networking opportunities were encouraged using breakout rooms and poster hall chat function. A 38-item self-administered online questionnaire was designed and disseminated at the end of the conference to all attending delegates. All data analysis and data visualisation strategies were conducted on R statistical programming. Results Eight-hundred and forty students from 55 countries attended the event. 490 participants (58.5% response rate, 55.9% female) completed the questionnaire. Factors such as weekend conference (84.9%), student-led or organised (84.1%), environmental/sustainable (82.3%), appropriate level for me (81.5%) and comfort to present (80.8%) were deemed to be at least equal to traditional in-person conference. The conference also increased participants’ interest, their core cardiology knowledge and improved their critical analysis and basic echocardiography skills [median 4 (IQR 3-5) for all parameters]. Overall, participants also found it easy to use the virtual platform [median 5 (IQR 5-5)] and easier to ask questions compared to in-person conferences [median 5 (IQR 4-5) vs median 4 (IQR 3-5), p< 0.001]. Conclusion Our virtual conference provided opportunities to students that the COVID-19 pandemic would have otherwise affected, however its utility and educational impact will need to be assessed within its individual context of delivery