PP27 The virtual near-peer teaching programme successes are comparable with traditional classroom teaching; a junior doctor perspective

IntroductionBasildon University Hospital had adopted a near-peer surgical teaching programme for junior doctors. Topics were selected and presented by a junior doctor under senior supervision. However, the COVID-19 pandemic saw an end to all classroom teaching, leading to the programme being carried out virtually using an online conference tool. This study compares the effectiveness of the virtual programme vs the previous classroom teaching.MethodComparisons were made using anonymous recipient feedback. A scale 1(poor)→5(excellent) assessed: overall quality, relevance and usefulness of the topic, the presenter and supervisor’s knowledge and coverage of the topic. For the teaching during COVID, the effectiveness of the virtual conference tool was also ranked.ResultsPre-COVID classroom teaching feedback, March 2019 → April 2020: 107 responses vs. during COVID virtual teaching feedback, April 2020 → July 2020: 71 responses (table 1). Mean results out of 5: Presentation quality 4.60 compared with 4.43; Teaching relevance 4.62 compared with 4.66; The Supervisor’s knowledge 4.81 compared with 4.67; The Supervisor’s Coverage 4.48 compared with 4.67. The effectiveness of the conference tool in delivering teaching was 4.49.Abstract PP27 Table 1Table shows comparison in feedback received between the pre-pandemic classroom teachings with the during-pandemic virtual teaching Pre-COVID classroom teaching March 2019 → April 2020 During COVID: Virtual teaching April 2020 → July 2020 Total responses 107 71 Presentation quality mean (out of 5) 4.60 4.43 Relevance mean (out of 5) 4.62 4.66 Supervisor knowledge mean (out of 5) 4.81 4.67 Supervisor coverage mean (out of 5) 4.48 4.49 Effectiveness of the virtual teaching tool - 4.49 Discussion and ConclusionThe COVID-19 pandemic has lead to dramatic changes to junior doctors’ work. This included: changes in rota, increased workload and the cancelation of classroom teaching. This forced a change in the which teaching had to be delivered. Results showed the quality and relevance of both the presentation and supervisor to be similar between classroom and virtual teaching. However, the virtual platform has the added benefit of enabling the teaching audience to be expanded. We can target doctors who are rota’d off, medical students, interim foundation doctors and also other junior doctors from non-surgical placements. In addition teaching could be recorded and viewed at a later, more convenient time. Teaching remains vital for the