Empowering medical students: navigating the digital frontier in education

Abstract

Background: Prensky’s concept of the “digital native,” though flawed, has taken hold in the popular psyche especially in the United States. Medical schools especially subscribe to this notion, overlooking the digital divides of access and competencies. Orientation programs can be an
appropriate time to provide training for students in technology skills. However, orientation sessions often fail to adequately offer training in the skills in technology that medical students will need to succeed. To address this, we introduced a digital skills session as a part of medical school orientation to bridge the digital skills divide. Methods: This study examines students' perceptions of the digital skills session and their confidence in utilizing digital tools. Anonymous pre- and post-surveys were administered to assess students’ confidence using various digital tools. The quantitative and qualitative data obtained through the pre- and post-surveys were analyzed. Results: 475 students participated in the workshop over three years. Evaluations showed significant improvement in confidence with various digital tools, especially those that were less familiar. Fifty-eight percent found training on unfamiliar tools and practical tips valuable, and half of the group saw no need for improvement. The digital skills workshop revealed diverse digital competencies and highlighted that the assumption that students are digital natives, inherently proficient with technology, is flawed. Discussion: This study suggests that a digital divide exists within the group, digital native. Furthermore, the participants desired workshops that respected their status as adult learners, emphasizing choice and relevance to their needs, including immediate practical application of skills. These findings point to the importance of structuring orientation workshops that not only equip students with digital skills, but also align with their developmental needs and real-world applications, thereby promoting digital equity in medical education.