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By Sarah Seilly, Head of Medical Education at Onyx Health
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Our Head of Medical Education, Sarah Seilly, explores the strengths and limitations of traditional and digital medical education methods, and explains why a hybrid model can provide the best of both worlds.
As anyone in the healthcare sector will tell you, maintaining the highest standards of patient care starts with getting medical education right. While traditional methods have served as the foundation of quality care for a long time, for some years now we have seen the emergence of digital tools that are bringing about a new era in medical education – one that is increasingly flexible, engaging, and digital.
Both have their place and knowing the strengths and limitations of each one can help provide quality medical education that is tailored towards different learning needs and styles, ensuring you get the most out of your investment in this area. During my time in the field of medical education, I have gained insight into what those strengths and limitations are, and what the future of medical education might look like considering the increasing move towards digitalisation.
Traditional medical education generally takes the form of in-person lectures, workshops, and hands-on training, and still holds undeniable value. As well as the opportunities that arise to ask questions, give, and receive immediate feedback and gain personalised attention from experts, traditional approaches also help teach important soft skills go on to benefit healthcare practitioners (HCPs) throughout their careers.1
This is because face-to-face education can build a sense of collaboration and community among participants, cultivating improved communication, teamwork, leadership, and interpersonal skills. These are essential qualities in today’s person-centred paradigm of healthcare. In-person training in a structured environment may also boost motivation and accountability, as the presence of an instructor increases engagement and reduces the likelihood of procrastination and dropout rates.1
There are, however, limitations to traditional methods. Geographical constraints are a concern, as the added barrier of travelling to a specific destination for an educational programme or course may deter some learners. In this vein, structured, classroom-based courses tend to adhere to rigid scheduling, so conflicts in this area can impact accessibility. The costs and logistical challenges of scaling up programmes or improving their flexibility is another limitation of traditional methods.
In recent years, digital methods aimed at making improvements in these areas have emerged.
While digital medical education had been on the rise for some time prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, its arrival accelerated its adoption at pace.
By digital medical education, we mean methods like e-learning platforms, virtual simulations, and online courses, among others. Channels like these are opening exciting new possibilities for educators and learners, with the added major advantage of flexibility that traditional methods do not offer. This flexibility allows HCPs to learn at their own pace and convenience, regardless of location.2 This increased flexibility also offers more personalised learning pathways that are tailored to individual needs and learning styles, which can in turn lead to greater knowledge retention.3
Meanwhile, in fields like surgery, the hands-on experience gained through traditional methods remains irreplaceable in developing essential practical skills, but digital methods are now augmenting the traditional approach, and this will continue evolving in the future.4
It would be a mistake, however, to assume digital medical education programmes are not without their own limitations. As mentioned above, lack of face-to-face interaction may hinder the development of interpersonal skills that are crucial for HCPs, while bedding in new digital learning methods demands much investment in technology and training that can prove costly.
At Onyx Health, we advocate for a blended learning approach which integrates both traditional and digital methods. Our hybrid model leverages the strengths of both: the immediate feedback and practical application of in-person sessions, coupled with the accessibility and scalability of digital platforms. A well-designed hybrid model can cater to diverse learning styles, maximising engagement, and knowledge retention. For example, an initial online module can introduce core concepts, preparing participants for a subsequent in-person workshop focused on hands-on application and peer interaction.
While there is much to consider when it comes to the strengths and limitations of different education approaches, the future of medical education is undoubtedly exciting. Recent years have seen the rise of the use of immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for medical training. These technologies provide safe and controlled environments to practice complex procedures and enhance clinical decision-making skills.
Meanwhile, mobile learning, gamification, and microlearning modules are becoming increasingly popular, catering to the busy schedules and diverse preferences of HCPs. At Onyx Health, we are at the forefront of these advancements, partnering with innovative companies like Scrub Games to bring engaging gamified experiences to the forefront of medical education.
The most effective approach to medical education involves a strategic combination of traditional and digital methods. A hybrid model allows for enhanced accessibility, personalised learning, and superior knowledge retention, leading to improved patient care. At Onyx Health, we are committed to developing and implementing these strategies, helping to ensure that HCPs receive the best possible training.
If you have a healthcare challenge that could benefit from a tailored approach to medical education, contact me today to find out more about how we can help.
1. Jalocha M. The Undeniable Benefits of Face-to-Face Training and Courses | The CPD Certification Service [Internet]. cpduk.co.uk. 2024. Available from: https://cpduk.co.uk/news/the-undeniable-benefits-of-face-to-face-training-and-courses. Accessed October 2025.
2. Car J, Carlstedt-Duke J, Tudor Car L, Posadzki P, Whiting P, Zary N, et al. Digital education for health professions: methods for overarching evidence syntheses (Preprint). Journal of Medical Internet Research. 2018 Nov 28;21(2).
3. Cook DA, Levinson AJ, Garside S, Dupras DM, Erwin PJ, Montori VM. Internet-Based Learning in the Health Professions. JAMA. 2008 Sep 10;300(10):1181.
4. Feenstra TM, van der Storm SL, Barsom EZ, Bonjer JH, Nieveen van Dijkum EJM, Schijven MP. Which, how, and what? Using digital tools to train surgical skills; a systematic review and meta-analysis. Surgery Open Science [Internet]. 2023 Dec [cited 2024 Nov 28]; 16:100–10. Available from: https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10565595/. Accessed October 2025.