Preparing the Pivot

Preparing the Pivot: IT Ensured Student Success

As COVID-19 made its way around the globe, preparedness measures within the Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine (LECOM) Information Technologies (IT) department, including the audio-visual (AV) team, were already underway. While medical professionals were moving rapidly into action to confront the virus, almost every non-essential business and enterprise was being halted by state government mandates, placing on hold nearly every conceivable public and private activity, including LECOM classroom and onsite clinical studies.

The transformative events were daunting - national uncertainty and frustration abounded - but throughout those early days, and seemingly overnight, the LECOM IT team successfully adapted to the developing situation, making the comprehensive system and learning format changes necessary to ensure that no educational interruption would affect the LECOM students.

LECOM was determined to graduate its Class of 2020 fully prepared and on time and the whole of the IT team ensured that the goal became a reality.

For more than a quarter century, LECOM has been training superlative doctors and healthcare professionals, fully skilled with clinical competencies and prepared for board examinations; the Coronavirus would not daunt the determined IT Department.

To maintain and ensure the continued and uninterrupted education of LECOM students, the mission driven individuals of IT implemented provisions that fulfilled students' educational goals as the College launched a seamless remote access plan to present the online curriculum to students across all campus locations.

The superlative organization of the AV team was key to the effectuation of the pivot to online learning; and collectively they stepped out of their normal duties and roles to make it happen. The LECOM family, faculty and staff, is known for its consummate performance, yet in this highly unexpected and challenging moment, this devoted group exceeded expectations.

The IT Department wished to draw particular attention and note to the members of the group that have come to be known as the AV team: John Nielsen, Russ Bidwell, and Andrew Jack. These dedicated LECOM staffers were key to facilitating the transition to online learning. They worked as a cohesive unit to develop new procedures, while simultaneously ensuring proper support of existing systems. Each member played a self-motivated and integral role, affecting the pivot almost independently of management oversight.

John Nielsen, who reviewed conferencing options and balanced the needs of executing the plan quickly, provided an industry leading solution with Zoom conferencing. He created user documentation and conducted training classes for the faculty and staff, and he continues to review Zoom security releases, updating documentation and implementing security features to safeguard the system while maintaining a high level of accessibility.

Russ Bidwell, who as LECOM progressed into the online venture, worked with faculty to determine innovative solutions to embed videos into tests and to address faculty concerns with the technology. He provided support to users having technical issues with systems other than audio visual technology.

Andrew Jack, instrumental in LECOM success, linked the new and old technologies. Without direction, he immediately recognized the important purpose to hold the line in supporting old technologies thereby allowing his peers the freedom to work on developing new methodologies such as Zoom conferencing and embedding videos within tests. Andrew selflessly held the course, ensuring that there were no gaps in support. He moved seamlessly into the role of primary support for new users of a virtual private network (VPN).

It is true that the courage of doctors and healthcare professionals have won the moment; indeed, they have defined the moment in this battle, and because of the responsive and successful work of the IT Department, a new generation of LECOM medical professionals stands ready to face the challenges of this new age.

It is not the glittering weapon that fights the fight, but rather it is the hero's heart. This aphorism is aptly reflective of the collective efforts of the band of brothers in the IT and AV Department.

LECOM extends its grateful appreciation to the dedicated force that planned the pivot and ensured that every LECOM scholar was graduated fully prepared and on time to fight the medical battles of a new age.