Response to: Comparing Online and Face-to-Face Performance in Scientific Courses: A Retrospective Comparative Gender Study of Year-1 Students [Letter]

Dear editor

I have read the research article entitled “Comparing Online and Face-to-Face Performance in Scientific Courses: A Retrospective Comparative Gender Study of Year-1 Students” by Alshaibani et al, published in the journal Advances in Medical Education and Practice 2023:14.¹ I would like to congratulate the authors on this successful article, and make some contributions. There are 4 advantages of this research: 1) it reveals an important finding, namely that the performance of Class 1 medical students during the coronavirus period was better than before the COVID-19 era. This shows that the shift to online learning during the pandemic did not have a negative impact on student performance and, in fact, improved student performance. 2) female students have better achievements than male students in both periods, before and during COVID-19. This can provide valuable insights for educators in understanding gender differences in academic performance and adapting teaching methods accordingly. 3) Hybrid teaching methods in educational practice are carried out now and into the future. This has the potential to save time and energy for students and lecturers, as well as provide a more flexible learning environment. 4) The importance of implementing online learning as a conducive means and alternative to face-to-face learning. This is especially useful in situations where traditional classroom learning is not possible, for example, during a pandemic.

However, I identified 2 limitations of this study that could be addressed in future research: 1) this study focused only on first-year medical students. Future research could include students from all levels and a more diverse range of study programs to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of online learning on student performance. 2) this study did not consider the potential impact of fraud on results. Future research could include measures to control cheating, such as proctored exams or plagiarism detection software.²

In conclusion, while the research data has some limitations, it provides valuable insights that could inform future educational practices in medical schools, particularly in situations where traditional classroom learning is not possible.