Latching Medical Students onto a Virtual Breastfeeding Elective During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Objectives:

To describe the implementation of a successful two-week virtual breastfeeding elective for medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic and characterize student demographics, objective knowledge, and perspectives on breastfeeding before and after the elective.

Study Design:

We adapted the Santa Rosa Kaiser Permanente Family Medicine breastfeeding residency curriculum to create a two-week virtual medical student elective using Kern’s six steps of curriculum development and a competency-based education framework. Educational components included self-paced modules, shadowing experiences, and group didactics. Objective knowledge was assessed with multiple-choice tests before and after the elective compared using a paired t-test. Reflective writing pieces were qualitatively analyzed using the six phases of thematic analysis developed by Braun and Clarke.

Results:

From 2020 to 2023, 40 medical students completed the elective. Breastfeeding knowledge increased significantly from the pre-test 72% (95% CI: 52–92%) to post-test 91% (95% CI: 81–100%) (p < 0.001). Over 90% of students felt that learning objectives were met well or very well and agreed or strongly agreed that the elective increased their knowledge and confidence in providing anticipatory guidance to breastfeeding parents. Similar themes were shared across students’ reflective writing pieces, with nearly 30% (n = 23) of the student essays addressing socio-cultural and racial differences in beliefs surrounding breastfeeding.

Conclusion:

A virtual breastfeeding curriculum for medical students is well-received by stakeholders (patients, lactation consultants, students, etc.) and improves breastfeeding knowledge and confidence. A virtual elective is an innovative and effective way to deliver breastfeeding education and can be used even when institutional breastfeeding or lactation support is unavailable.

Inclusive Language Statement

At the time of this study, the terms “breastfeeding” and “mother” were used. However, we acknowledge all forms of lactation, including chestfeeding, and recognize that not all people who give birth and lactate identify as female.