There is no doubt that this pandemic has changed the way we are working in science and medicine, globally. While political leaders have locked their borders, scientists have been shattering theirs, creating a global collaboration unlike any other seen before. Never before have we seen scientists from so many countries halt so many projects, to come together to focus on one single topic.

It is also evident that the vital role that nurses and other medical professionals play in the MDT (multi-disciplinary team), is visible now more than ever. This has truly taught us of the importance of the MDT, and how each and every member is critical to delivering the best possible care. I believe in light of this pandemic, through observing the role of how various backgrounds of medical professionals have come together, I believe in the future this should be highlighted more, and there should be a real focus on building these team work skills, while in university.

April is normally one of the busiest months of the academic year, with students rushing to finish their assignments, last minute all-nighters in the library, and coffee queues longer than ever. This year, silence. Although learning has continued, while displaced it has not been discontinued. This unpreceded time has seen more and more students and staff use technology to deliver their classes online. The time when we used to have face-to-face teaching seems so distant! While the abrupt manner of the disruption is not ideal, universities have managed to find alternatives, to allow learning to continue. Isn’t that the most important aspect?

For decades, universities have been distracted from their core functions by regulatory frameworks and management culture which demands they vie with one another endlessly for research, and teaching incomes and for league table recognition. However this year, with no school examinations and many university examinations also not taking place, maybe this is the time for universities to re-consider their teaching methods. Are one, maybe two written exams at the end of a semester really the best way to test an individual’s knowledge? Are face-to-face lectures always the best way to convey information? Personally while I still believe these techniques are still incredibly useful, I believe observing the unpreceded conditions we find ourselves in currently, and how quickly and effectively we have managed to switch the teaching process, we need to think; can we be doing this much more effectively, all year round?

This therefore begs the question, are current methods of teaching really the most effective they can be?