Acceptance and experiences of telecommunication and teleconsultation by medical undergraduate students and medical educators during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic virtual patient contact became standard in patient care. Technological solutions challenged educational and practical work around the world; health workers were challenged to offer the same standards and high-quality of care to their patients. Therefore, it is of interest how students and professionals perceived the use of teleconsultation, and which difficulties they were facing.
Methods
The study utilises a quantitative approach based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to evaluate the level of acceptance of teleconsultations among medical students and medical educators in the UK. The measured constructs are perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, attitudes, intention to use, and difficulties in use.
Results
To date results are preliminary. Data collection continues until mid-May 2021. Cronbach’s alpha was ≥.718 for all TAM subscales. Perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and attitudes toward teleconsultations are significantly correlated.

Conclusion
The results will indicate how students and medical educators perceived the changes to teleconsultations in clinical and simulated settings. Moreover, the TAM is a good model to understand students’ and educators’ level of acceptance and intention to use teleconsultations after the COVID-19 pandemic. The results can help to inform medical education guidelines and foster the implementation of telemedicine