Table 2 Factors associated with study participants’ interest in receiving telemedicine teaching (n = 547)

Demographics

Age

18–19

150

27.4

104

69.3

46

30.7

2

0.56

0.76

20–21

231

42.2

168

72.7

63

27.3

22 and older

166

30.3

117

70.5

49

29.5

Gender

Male

173

31.6

102

59.0

71

41.0

1

18.20

< 0.0001

Female

374

68.4

287

76.7

87

23.3

Year at medical school

Preclinical (years 1–3)

382

69.8

269

70.4

113

29.6

1

0.30

0.58

Clinical (years 4–5)

165

30.2

120

72.7

45

27.3

Exposure to telemedicine

Familiarity with telemedicine

Familiar (very familiar- somewhat familiar)

372

68.0

282

75.8

90

24.2

1

12.46

< 0.001

Not familiar

175

32.0

107

61.1

68

38.9

Experience with telemedicine as a patient

Yes

91

16.6

69

75.8

22

24.2

1

1.18

0.28

No

456

83.4

320

70.2

136

29.8

Attended teaching in telemedicine

Yes

77

14.1

60

77.9

17

22.1

1

2.02

0.16

No

470

85.9

329

70.0

141

30.0

Attended practical training in telemedicine

Yes

58

10.6

47

81.0

11

19.0

1

3.11

0.08

No

489

89.4

342

69.9

147

30.1

Read any literature about telemedicine

Yes

70

12.8

59

84.3

11

15.7

1

6.78

< 0.01

No

477

87.2

330

69.2

147

30.8

Familiar with local telemedicine regulations

Familiar (very familiar- somewhat familiar)

152

27.8

111

73.0

41

27.0

1

0.37

0.54

Not familiar

395

72.2

278

70.4

117

29.6

Beliefs pertaining telemedicine

Telemedicine is an opportunity to improve current medical practice

Agree (strongly agree- somewhat agree)

506

92.5

377

74.5

129

25.5

1

37.79

< 0.0001

Disagree (disagree- strongly disagree)

41

7.5

12

29.3

29

70.7

The practice and use of telemedicine should be encouraged

Agree (strongly agree- somewhat agree)

493

90.1

371

75.3

122

24.7

1

41.64

< 0.0001

Disagree (disagree- strongly disagree)

54

9.9

18

33.3

36

66.7

Telemedicine threatens patients’ privacy and information confidentiality

Agree (strongly agree- somewhat agree)

336

61.4

229

68.2

107

31.8

1

3.72

0.05

Disagree (disagree- strongly disagree)

211

38.6

160

75.8

51

24.2

Telemedicine is a threat to the current medical practice

Agree (strongly agree- somewhat agree)

222

40.6

140

63.1

82

36.9

1

11.79

< 0.001

Disagree (disagree- strongly disagree)

325

59.4

249

76.6

76

23.4

Telemedicine would have an important role to play in the current and future clinical practice

Agree (strongly agree- somewhat agree)

496

90.7

376

75.8

120

24.2

1

57.00

< 0.0001

Disagree (disagree- strongly disagree)

51

9.3

13

25.5

38

74.5

Medical school experience and future career plan

Prefers to continue some form of distance learning at the current medical school program

Yes

286

52.3

224

78.3

62

21.7

1

15.15

< 0.0001

No

261

47.7

165

63.2

96

36.8

Received teaching/training regarding telemedicine in the current medical school program

Yes

83

15.2

61

73.5

22

26.5

1

0.27

0.60

No

464

84.8

328

70.7

136

29.3

Interested in incorporating telemedicine in future practice as a physician

Yes

271

49.5

243

89.7

28

10.3

2

117.11

< 0.00001

No

61

11.2

16

26.2

45

73.8

Undecided

215

39.3

130

60.5

85

39.5