COVID-19 Updates for Educators

COVID-19 is a strand of coronavirus spread through human-to-human interaction via droplets (e.g., coughing, sneezing). Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath and individuals are believed to be most contagious when they are showing symptoms. While anyone can catch COVID-19, the populations most at risk for serious illness are the elderly, those with pre-existing medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, heart disease), and those whose are either immunocompromised or pregnant. Best practices to avoid the transmission of COVID-19 include:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a trash receptacle.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household disinfectant spray or wipe.
• Face masks should be used by people who show symptoms of COVID-19 to help prevent the spread of the disease. Face masks have not been a proven protective measure from respiratory diseases.
• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds, especially after using the bathroom.

More information about COVID-19 and the university’s response can be found here.

On Wednesday, March 11, 2020 the School of Medicine hosted a townhall event to discuss COVID-19 and its impact on the UC Davis community. The event was facilitated by Dr. Stuart Cohen, Dr. Mark Henderson, and Dr. Mark Servis.

 To watch the video recording from the event, please click here.

Guidelines for Students on Clinical Rotations

• Students should NOT be assigned to care for patients with or suspected of having COVID-19 because students cannot provide independent care and their involvement with patients only serves to increase the number of potentially exposed individuals.
• Anyone who is sick with flu-like illnesses — with symptoms including fever, cough and/or shortness of breath — should stay home and consult with either UCD Student Health and Counseling Services or your personal physician (all students) or UCDH Employee Health Services (all employees, including faculty, residents, fellows and staff). Students should notify OME and your IORs of your absence, and in the case of clinical rotations alert your clinical supervisor and team.  OME will work with your IOR to address course and rotation requirements or missed exams.
• Anyone who is in a high risk category – immunocompromised, pregnant, or with an infant at home - should contact OME and we will work with your IOR to see if accommodations are necessary.

Guidelines for Classroom Teaching

As of Friday, March 13, 2020 all in-person classroom sessions for MS1s have been moved to online remote or asynchronous delivery until March 30^th, 2020.

The Office of Medical Education (OME) encourages Instructors of Record (IORs) to consider alternate delivery methods for any upcoming scheduled in-person content while we monitor the progression of the pandemic and determine next steps. These include pre-recorded lectures and online experiences, both asynchronous and in real-time. Below you’ll find additional information on the technologies available to you:

Panopto: In addition to recording live lectures for later viewing, Panopto is also a powerful tool for recording high-quality lectures solely intended for online consumption. This can be done within the audio booth in the Center for Health and Technology, or from your home or office using the Panopto app. The recorded lectures can then be posted online for students to review. In addition, synchronous lectures can be webcast, offering students the opportunity to type in questions during the lecture.

Webex: For sessions with a significant amount of audience interaction, Webex is available for both small and large group active learning. All faculty members have access to a Webex account and are able to create an online meeting, but OME staff can provide meeting links as well.

Canvas Discussions: The Discussions feature in Canvas is an option for those who wish for students to engage in conversation over a particular topic. Discussion threads can be started for entire cohorts of students, or split into small groups, and IORs and staff can moderate the discussion and track participation. This may provide a good alternative for case discussions or journal clubs.

Canvas Quizzes and Assignments: Canvas has the functionality to offer quizzes with multiple choice questions or short-answer responses. In addition, students can submit assignments that can be graded within Canvas using the SpeedGrader functionality. 

As always, the OME team is here to support you in whatever teaching methodology you choose. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to Kristin Olson, Marjorie Westervelt, or Krista Newberry if you have any questions or need any assistance.