COVID-19 has unprecedentedly created challenges in every aspect of life over the world. However, in retrospect of global pandemic history overall, we are lucky enough to hold the power in possessing cutting-edge technology in which it transforms the crisis to multifaceted opportunities. Even though the virus evolves to utilize human bodies recklessly, technology such as Artificial Intelligence has become the vector that brings us hope for neutralizing its current power. As the front-line warriors as medical associates from all over the world, they require not only swift adaptability to this highly variable virus but also cooperation with multidisciplinary experts. All of which relies on virtual technology in an attempt to share and pass on medical know-how without actual contact. These reluctant alterations are not the only challenges they have come across, so are the new modalities they have sought for teaching medical students.
The human lifestyle has muddled by the pandemic for over a year; people rely on the cyber system more than they did ever in the old days. Activities that require actual on-site contact have turned into online events which undermine the course of medical education that traditionally demands factual patient contact and bedside practices. We have learnt a tragic lesson from the shortage of medical personnel from last year, which indicates that we not only can not tolerance the crisis to undercut our medical supplies but more importantly we opt to remain the quality and quantity of our medical staff in order to face our own challenge in Taiwan. For this undoubted purpose, we have invited both domestic and international experts (Canada, America, Mexico) to join this year's symposium:‘Medical Education amid the Pandemic—Virtual and Factual Applications in Clinical Practices ‘ in Taipei Veterans General Hospital on 15th-16th, October 2021. The first day consists of four sessions, fundamental education, clinical education, technology-aid online teaching and medical education on AI. The other day is composed of two concurrent workshops lasting for half a day, one is run by OpenCourseWare (OCW) team members out of Chiao Tung University and the other is to demonstrate a new model of context-based learning via electronic games. Both days are elaborately arranged for our respectable peers to have the latest knowledge. We look forward to your attendance.