Work-Integrated Learning in Medical Laboratory Science and Medical Technology during COVID-19

Abstract

Work Integrated Learning (WIL) remains an integral part of the Medical Laboratory Science and Medical Technology curriculum. However, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a reconfiguration of operations and practices in institutions of higher education globally. The current, theoretically-based paper reflects on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the instructional offering of Work Integrated Learning. A recount of the lessons of the transitional phase of our pedagogical approach from the traditional instructional method to strategic implementation of Problem Based Learning (PBL) in the (WIL) module is shared, including highlighting the overall long-term implications of remote instruction as an alternative to experiential learning within the Medical Laboratory Science and Medical Technology education.