Table 1 Student Excerpts

Student 1

This experience has been very enlightening regarding the strengths and limitations of telemedicine. Telemedicine’s strength, with the current level of technology, means that almost all patients will be able to connect with their physician at any time or place. Patients are usually more comfortable being interviewed in their own home and are more patient if they need to wait for their physician, as they can generally continue with their daily lives. This experience has been helpful for developing my ability to establish rapport while making my interviewing style more efficient. There have been many instances where I have been able to soothe anxious patients or family members with a few words or change in tone, thus leading to a better care experience.

Student 2

Like any experience for me, the patients were always the best part. I surprisingly was able to spend a lot of time talking to patients. Similar to how I have been feeling in the pandemic, my patient’s families made me realize that this is not easy for anyone. I will never forget this experience in my many years to come as a resident, attending and beyond.

Student 3

Participating in this telemedicine elective allowed me to spend time interacting with patients, learning the intricacies of telemedicine, and continuing to practice my history-taking skills in a novel situation. I truly enjoyed my time with patients. I worked with amazing physicians who demonstrated their flexibility and adaptability through hosting online, video appointments with their patients.

Student 4

Partaking in the telemedicine elective was a phenomenal experience for a number of reasons. First, it enabled us to help physicians meet an urgent demand and gave us an active role in rapidly developing a much-needed platform. Second, it gave us medical students early exposure into something that I feel is going to be a greater part of our careers as physicians, as the healthcare industry moves in a more virtual-platform-friendly direction. Lastly, it helped us hone our skills in taking patient histories, connecting with patients, and making them feel heard, as well as learning about the unique diagnoses and care plans that supersede patient’s chief complaints.

Student 5

Telehealth served an integral purpose for all patients who needed to access healthcare during the pandemic. Many physician-patient relationships will continue to be defined by the necessity of face-to-face visits, yet telehealth has established itself as a critical platform for increasing accessibility to health care. It was an incredible opportunity to be a part of this healthcare transformation, and it allowed me to remain connected to both my medical school and the local community in its time of need.

Student 6

Through our courses in medical school, we often discussed different approaches to patient-centered care and how to optimize our services. It was great to finally apply some of these principles to clinical practice, and I now feel comfortable connecting with patients through various platforms.

Student 7

Through this experience, I learned that much of the progress towards healing begins outside of the hospital, when patients are equipped with medical, social, and financial resources to address their health needs. I am grateful that the Telehealth Elective allowed me to develop virtual relationships with patients and support them during this unprecedented pandemic.

Student 8

Being able to participate in telehealth was a great experience and gave me an opportunity to understand what virtual patient care entails. In school, we often hear the word telehealth…but we don’t really get a sense of what that means or how it works. We have always exposed to the traditional method of in-person patient care. This elective allowed me to understand what exactly telehealth is, how it is setup, and the pros/cons of this method of patient care.

Student 9

Another aspect of the Telehealth Elective that was helpful to me was gaining experience in speaking to patients on the phone. Oftentimes this can be more challenging than speaking to patients in person, as there is less information to work with when you are on the phone with patients. Developing the skill of speaking to patients on the phone is something that takes practice and this elective helped me to do that.

Student 10

An area that I found irritating was that I wanted to be more involved in the care of these patients. Many of the physicians would get the patient in the room and tell me to move on to the next patient. However, one of the physicians allowed me to partake in one of her calls and listen to her counseling and management for the patients. Being able to take part in the call was much more enjoyable than simply rooming the patient and moving on to the next one. …Being confined at home for many months, I was not getting much clinical experience and I craved more.

Student 11

These patient visits taught me how much of clinical differential and plan can be shaped from the patient’s history alone. However, other visits would have benefited from the ability to use a stethoscope or explain pertinent information in-person. Telehealth was particularly challenging for patients who were unfamiliar with technology, as well as for patients who were less forthcoming with their acute concerns. There is a connection that forms from simply sharing the same space as another human being — it is one that fills the room with compassion and ensures the patient knows that they have the physician’s undivided attention.

Student 12

This experience highlighted the vast differences in technological knowledge/access to technology and how adding language challenges to this amplified the differences even more. …Nothing can replace the in-person office visit as there are inherent shortcomings to not being physically in the same room as the patient. …However, utilizing the telehealth platform was absolutely more beneficial…and allowed for the physician-patient relationship to continue even during these times.