JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Global health-care education that cultivates international orientation is important for providing medical care in consideration of diverse backgrounds and collaboration with foreign medical professionals. Virtual international exchange programs could be a new type of global education in the present post-pandemic era.

Objective:

This study aimed to examine the effectiveness of a virtual international exchange program in fostering global quality including academic and professional learning as well as international orientation from student perspectives across five countries. This research is expected to contribute to education for the development of global human resources in health professions.

Methods:

This intervention research used a convergent parallel mixed-method design. In the this research, five days interactive virtual program was provided to occupational therapy students from Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan, Philippine and Thailand. The research participants were asked about their program expectations and international orientation before the program, and program evaluations and international orientation after the program. Numerical data of questionnaire on program expectations/evaluations were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Qualitative data of questionnaire on international orientation were subjected to Steps for Coding and Theorization (SCAT).

Results:

12 students answered questionnaires both before and after the program.　Overall, the students’ expectations of the program were met in terms of expertise, scientific learning skills, and group interactions. They were motivated by vague interests before the program, but after the program, reported having a more concrete image and specific form of what they learned from an international perspective. The participants enjoyed communication with others from diverse backgrounds even though recognizing the difficulty of understanding different values. They also expressed satisfaction with their understanding of occupational therapy professionals and diverse societies, including medical systems from other countries.

Conclusions:

These findings indicate that the program provided the participants with valuable opportunities for cultivating global qualities such as problem-finding/-solving and interactions with groups with diverse backgrounds. Clinical Trial: UMIN-Clinical Trials registry system (ID: R000061896)