Exploring Ghanaian medical students' learning experiences during the COVID-19 lockdown: a case study of the University for Development Studies Medical School.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on health professions education, particularly in developing and middle-income countries. Despite the implementation of alternative educational strategies to facilitate remote learning while maintaining physical distancing, challenges persist in ensuring the effectiveness. Methods: This qualitative cross-sectional study explored the learning experiences of medical students at a Ghanaian institution during the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were drawn from four departments within the medical school, using a cluster-based sampling approach. A voluntary response sampling method was employed to recruit students, who completed self-administered online surveys containing interview questions about their educational experiences during the pandemic. Results: The study identified several barriers to effective online learning, including inadequate supervision, limited access to library resources, overburdened syllabi, and interference from household responsibilities. A significant majority of participants (n=133, 67%) reported that online learning was insufficient, ineffective, and financially burdensome, undermining the development of essential competencies and skills needed for clinical practice. Conclusions: Notwithstanding these challenges, nearly all participants expressed the belief that a combination of face-to-face and online learning could enhance medical education. The pandemic has accelerated the adoption of online learning in health professions, highlighting the need to address the ongoing challenges faced by students to ensure the effectiveness of this mode of instruction.