Traditional Teaching versus Online Teaching of Forensic Autopsy Case study – Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine and Pharmacy in Iasi

Abstract

Traditional medical education can be disrupted during periods of epidemic or pandemic, due to the closure of universities and the restriction of social human contact in order to limit the pathogen transmission. COVID-19 pandemic determined universities and teachers to identify alternative virtual education methods, by teaching online courses and practical activities stipulated in the university curriculum. The aim of this paper is to compare the traditional method of teaching forensic autopsy with the virtual one, imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the literature data, the authors analyze the importance of autopsy in the training of future physicians, including the advantages and disadvantages of direct exposure of students to this medical procedure. The virtual teaching of forensic autopsy is also analyzed, highlighting its advantages and disadvantages. The authors particularize the analysis through a case study, in which they describe the online teaching of forensic autopsy at "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy of Iași, Romania and underline the challenges faced by the teachers involved in this educational approach. The authors conclude that studies are needed to evaluate the efficacy of the online teaching and also to find out the opinions and attitudes of students towards online teaching compared to traditional autopsy teaching in order to decide which is the most appropriate educational approach to be applied at "Grigore T. Popa" University of Medicine and Pharmacy in the future.