LAUSR

Dear Editor, I would like to thank the authors of the article “Telesimulation for remote simulation and assessment” for their insightful study on the role of tele‐education and methods for assessment of surgical oncology. In this letter, I express a continuation and added vital discussion on the role of the current surgical oncology training for medical undergraduates and the prospects of today's telemedicine in the role of upcoming future surgeons. A modern, up‐to‐date training model is now a critical component for the future generation of surgeons. Medical knowledge alone is no longer enough to qualify a person for medical practice. Rather, one of the aims of university teaching is to transfer the ability to “learn” rather than only the transfer of knowledge (so‐called “teaching”). Medical students must be prepared for the demands of adequate medical treatment in the 21st century, according to competency‐ based medical education and training. However, the new coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on our medical education system, and our educational infrastructure has never been more vulnerable. Classic static teaching formats with face‐to‐face interactions in small and large group settings (lectures, tutorials, etc.), laboratory sessions, simulations, and/or any form of patient contact in clinical clerkships and/or rotations have not been possible due to the highly infectious nature of SARS‐ COV‐2 during the current phase of the pandemic. Medical students' involvement and observation of surgical oncological procedures in operating rooms have been suspended as an important aspect of surgical oncology. Only essential workers were allowed to use accessible personal protective equipment, according to hospital regulations. As hospitals try to reduce nonessential staffing in clinical settings, this has prevented students from being active team members. As a result, medical educators have endeavored to update their education programs and curricula as quickly as feasible by transferring as much as possible online in a digital format. During the COVID‐ 19 pandemic, e‐learning and blended‐learning, such as “flipping the classroom” concepts, are the new objectives for education and instruction, not just in surgical oncology. Efforts over the previous few years, particularly during this crisis, have proved that these new learning modalities are more effective than old, traditional teaching approaches.