Health professions education cohort programs: A case study of pivoting from in‐person to online learning in cohort‐based programs

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically affected the way that healthcare is delivered in the United States and has likewise affected the way that health professions education is taught. This article reports a case study of a cohort-based health professions education program that was forced to transition from a blended model to a fully virtual synchronous model and the effects of that transition on learners and educators. These courses are grounded in experiential learning, and the program overall aims to develop a community of practice that extends beyond program completion. The authors reflected on online observations as well as their own experiences in these courses. We argue learners were still able to move through Kolb's stages of experiential learning. Analysis also indicates that the transition and the unique stressors of the COVID-19 pandemic may have expanded and strengthened a burgeoning community of practice.