ArticleEClinicalMedicine2024
Enhancing medical training in conflict zones and remote areas through innovation: introducing the Canadian Virtual Medical University Initiative.
Article in EClinicalMedicine, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
6 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Entrustable professional activities in medical education: strategies and results - a systematic review.Medical education online · 2026Pooled it
- A competency-based digital medical education model in conflict-affected settings.EClinicalMedicine · 2026Article
- Strengthening health professions education during war: a multi-institutional case study of physical therapy programs in Ukraine.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Augmented Reality and Gamification vs. Traditional Surgical Instrument Training on Knowledge and Skills of Medical Students: A 2×2 Factorial Randomized Study.Archives of academic emergency medicine · 2026Article
- Postgraduate medical education in fragile conflict-affected settings: A scoping review.PLOS global public health · 2026Article
- Supporting Healthcare Workers on the Frontline of Conflicts Comment on "Human Resources for Health in Conflict Affected Settings: A Scoping Review of Primary Peer Reviewed Publications 2016-2022".International journal of health policy and management · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
30 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
Background: The WHO projects a global shortage of 4.3 million physicians by 2030, with the largest deficits in developing and conflict-affected regions. Our aim is to train competent physicians rapidly and affordably through remote education programs. Methods: We developed an online medical training curriculum with four levels, focusing on different aspects of human body systems using a competency-based, student-centered approach. This study evaluates the first three levels; level four (internship) is outside this scope. The 105 medical students from eight Afghan universities were randomly assigned to nine groups. The curriculum includes Entrustable Professional Activities (EPA) for the cardiovascular system: level 1 covers basic medical sciences, level 2 pathology and basic clinical skills, and level 3 full clinical competencies. EPAs were delivered asynchronously online via Lecturio, CyberPatient, and Zoom. The 30-day intervention included 4 h of weekly online classes for formative assessment, collaborative learning, and evaluation, supervised by medical faculty members. Virtual pre- and post-intervention evaluations used multiple-choice questions and objective structured clinical examination (OSCE). We also conducted a satisfaction survey and open interview forum. Data triangulation from observations, surveys, and interviews validated curriculum effectiveness. The benchmarking method assessed cost-effectiveness. Findings: Pre- and post-intervention analysis showed a significant increase in clinical competencies and knowledge acquisition (P < 0.0001). The CyberPatient intervention improved clinical competency quality (P < 0.0001) and shortened decision-making time (P < 0.001). Cost analysis revealed that a virtual medical university would be 95% more cost-effective than traditional medical education. Interpretation: Integrating virtual technology with modern curriculum concepts in pre-internship years can effectively address healthcare training gaps and enhance education quality for healthcare workers at a low cost. Funding: Provided by CanHealth International. A UBC spin-off not-for-profit organization.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.