How to One Up a Pandemic: University of Minnesota's Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Virtual Clerkship-A Model for Alternative Clinical Training and Preliminary Validation Study.

Drastic and rapid changes to medical education are uncommon because of regulations and restrictions designed to ensure consistency among medical school curriculums and to safeguard student well-being. As a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, medical education had to break away from its conventions and transition from time-honored teaching methods to innovative solutions. This article explores the anticipated and actual efficacy of the swift conversion of a specialty elective from a traditional in-person format to a fully virtual clerkship. In addition, it includes a noninferiority study to determine where a virtual classroom may excel or fall short in comparison with conventional clinical rotations.