The doctor brings his smartphone closer to the coronavirus patient lying on the hospital bed. On the other end of the video call, medical students pose their questions and make their prognoses from afar -- it's as close as they can come during Argentina's lengthy confinement.
Instead of touring the wards with his students at this teaching hospital outside Buenos Aires, Professor Mario Grossmann is filming with his phone and talking to his students via WhatsApp.
"I pass them the radiological plates by WhatsApp. I film myself making incisions and I show them how I do a biopsy," he says.
For his fourth and fifth-year medical students, an image on a phone is as close as they can get for now to a real live patient.
Hands-on training for student doctors has been put on hold as Argentina's lockdown continues, meaning graduations for many will be delayed by at least a year.
"These students have never touched a patient, they have never placed a stethoscope on a lung or a heart.
"Touching, seeing, smelling is very important on a semiological level," says Grossmann, a specialist in emergency medicine and nephrology at Buenos Aires University (UBA) and head of internal medicine at Inter-American Open University.
"I can send them a video or an audio, but it is not the same thing," said Grossmann.
- Distance learning doctors -
With more than 10,000 deaths and half a million infections, Argentina is one of South America's worst-affected countries by the coronavirus pandemic.
Thousands of students from the faculty of medicine of the University of Buenos Aires are studying virtually since educational institutions were shut down in Argentina in March.
Grossman trains them from the Interzonal hospital in Ezeiza, on the outskirts of the capital, which has more than 80 percent of the country's coronavirus infections.
Although the distance learning classes are far from ideal, Grossmann considers it imperative to the training of new doctors given the current restrictions.
- Taking a toll -
The doctor says Argentina's long battle against the country's crippling coronavirus epidemic has taken a toll on healthworkers.
"The doctors, all the health personnel, are tired," said Grossmann, who contracted the coronavirus with severe pneumonia before recovering.
If the government of President Alberto Fernandez had not acted so quickly in declaring a lockdown, and if the hospital not been prepared, "when 50 patients suddenly arrived to be intubated, we would have intubated 10 and 40 would have died. It would have been a disaster," he said.
Grossmann, 35, and a doctor for seven years, has gone from one 24-hour shift a week to three since the coroanvirus arrived in Argentina.
-Worldwide learning -
"Teaching forces you to keep up to date with new diagnoses and treatments, but no one was prepared for Covid-19. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have done five different types of treatments that were later discarded by the scientific community," he said.
"It was a worldwide learning process. We went from treatment to treatment."
Grossmann says he misses interacting with his students inside the hospital and walking the halls to assess classes.
"These students are going to be taking care of people tomorrow who, depending on what we do, are going to evolve well or badly.
"We have to give them the knowledge to make sure that the patient does well. This has changed everything, but we have to adapt."
AFP RELAXNEWS
Thu Sep 10 2020
![Virus forces distance learning on Argentine student doctors Virus forces distance learning on Argentine student doctors](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-09/61599711653_EZEIZA.jpg)
Dr Maria Grossman holds a video call with medical students as he does his rounds at a hospital in Ezeiza, near Buenos Aires, in August 2020. AFPRelaxpic
![Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/41715247870_SohThianLaijpg.jpg)
Golongan belia pemacu penting bentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia - FMM
Pemimpin perniagaan dan usahawan daripada golongan belia merupakan pemacu penting yang akan membentuk masa depan industri pembuatan Malaysia, kata Presiden Persekutuan Pekilang-Pekilang Malaysia.
AWANI Tonight: 16 July 2024
#AWANITonight with @Hafiz_Marzukhi
1. Govt mulls amending Penal Code to deal with cyberbullying
2. England's Southgate resigns after Euro 2024 Final defeat
#AWANIEnglish #AWANINews
1. Govt mulls amending Penal Code to deal with cyberbullying
2. England's Southgate resigns after Euro 2024 Final defeat
#AWANIEnglish #AWANINews
![Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-05/41716613114_TBsprm.jpg)
Empat individu termasuk pasangan pempengaruh bebas tahanan reman
Kesemua individu juga perlu hadir ke pejabat Suruhanjaya Pencegahan Rasuah Malaysia (SPRM) sebulan sekali untuk melaporkan diri.
![KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/81719822088_ZambryAbdKadir.jpg)
KPT alu-alukan syor PAC guna garis panduan pelaburan universiti awam untuk anak syarikat
KPT mengalu-alukan cadangan PAC berhubung pelaksanaan dan pemakaian Garis Panduan Pelaburan dan Pembiayaan oleh Universiti Awam 2024, kepada anak-anak syarikat di bawah seliaan kementerian itu.
![SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/61720679430_AbdulKarimRahman.jpg)
SUKMA 2024: Sepak takraw wanita mungkin digugurkan
Sepak takraw wanita berpasukan berkemungkinan akan digugurkan daripada senarai acara temasya Sukan Malaysia (SUKMA) 2024 berikutan jumlah penyertaan kurang daripada jumlah minimum yang ditetapkan.
10 Berita Pilihan - (16 Julai 2024)
Antara pelbagai berita dalam dan luar negara yang disiarkan di Astro AWANI, berikut adalah yang paling menjadi tumpuan sepanjang hari ini.
![Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-12/41702437730_maut.jpg)
Enam rakyat Vietnam ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok
Enam orang ditemukan maut di sebuah hotel di Bangkok, Thailand pada Selasa laporan media tempatan yang memetik polis Bangkok.
AWANI 7:45 [16/07/2024] - Suspek dibawa ke lokasi | Selamat tinggal rakyat Malaysia | Harimau Malaya hilang taring?
- Polis sahkan suspek bunuh Kartini anggota polis.
- Pan-Gon enggan dedah punca letak jawatan.
- Faisal Halim sedih mentor Pan-Gon undur diri.
- Pakai reben putih di Parlimen, tak salah.
- Pan-Gon enggan dedah punca letak jawatan.
- Faisal Halim sedih mentor Pan-Gon undur diri.
- Pakai reben putih di Parlimen, tak salah.
![Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2024-07/41721139141_TBJDUSHA.jpg)
Isteri calon gandingan Trump letak jawatan di firma guaman
Usha Vance, isteri kepada Senator J.D. Vance yang dipilih sebagai calon gandingan bekas presiden Amerika Syarikat (AS) Donald Trump awal minggu ini, telah meletakkan jawatannya di sebuah firma guaman,
![Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-05/71683779541_TBNAJIBRAZAK.jpg)
Najib fail permohonan di mahkamah rayuan cabar Titah Adendum
Berdasarkan sistem e-filing mahkamah, rayuan itu telah ditetapkan untuk pengurusan kes pada 7 Oktober ini.
![Presiden Argentina dirawat di hospital swasta Presiden Argentina dirawat di hospital swasta](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-02/61676393681_TBAlbertoFernandez.jpg)
Presiden Argentina dirawat di hospital swasta
Presiden Argentina Alberto Fernandez dibawa ke hospital swasta di tengah Buenos Aires selepas mengalami sakit pinggang yang teruk.
![Presiden Argentina lantik Perdana Menteri baharu Presiden Argentina lantik Perdana Menteri baharu](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2023-02/61676393681_TBAlbertoFernandez.jpg)
Presiden Argentina lantik Perdana Menteri baharu
Presiden Argentina Alberto Fernandez melantik bekas menteri pertahanan Agustin Rossi sebagai perdana menteri baharu, menurut kenyataan pejabat presiden pada Selasa.
![AS$44 bilion didakwa lesap, Fernandez mahu saman kerajaan Macri AS$44 bilion didakwa lesap, Fernandez mahu saman kerajaan Macri](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2021-01/71611267606_TBAlbertoFernandez.jpg)
AS$44 bilion didakwa lesap, Fernandez mahu saman kerajaan Macri
Fernandez mengumumkan telah mengarahkan peguam negara memulakan siasatan untuk menentukan siapa yang bertanggungjawab ke atas penyelewengan terbesar dalam sejarah itu.
![Argentina berkabung tiga hari mengenang pemergian Maradona Argentina berkabung tiga hari mengenang pemergian Maradona](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-11/81606348216_DiegoMaradona.jpg)
Argentina berkabung tiga hari mengenang pemergian Maradona
Presiden Argentina, Alberto Fernandez mengisytiharkan tempoh berkabung selama tiga hari buat negara tersebut.
![Luis Arce angkat sumpah sebagai Presiden Bolivia Luis Arce angkat sumpah sebagai Presiden Bolivia](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/https://img.astroawani.com/2020-11/41604878738_BoliviaNewPresiden.jpg)
Luis Arce angkat sumpah sebagai Presiden Bolivia
Acara angkat sumpah itu turut dihadiri Raja Sepanyol VI, Presiden Argentina, Alberto Fernndez, dan Presiden Colombia, Ivan Duque.
![COVID-19: Argentina lanjutkan perintah berkurung sehingga 12 April COVID-19: Argentina lanjutkan perintah berkurung sehingga 12 April](https://resizer-awani.eco.astro.com.my/tr:w-177,h-100,q-100,f-auto/http://img.astroawani.com/2020-03/61585544167_TBjpg.jpg)
COVID-19: Argentina lanjutkan perintah berkurung sehingga 12 April
Pengumuman dibuat menerusi siaran televisyen pada Ahad, selepas menerima nasihat daripada pakar jawatankuasa kesihatan dan saintis negara itu.