Table 4. Frequently mentioned factors that supported and created barriers to fulfilment of motivations for virtual conference attendance
Items Category Further supporting comments
Aspects that supported fulfilling motivations for virtual conference attendance Total N=1115 Easy accessibility37.7%, N= 420 wider global access virtually less effort needed to attend than in person e.g., less travel costs for flights and accommodation
Flexible timing28.2%, N= 314 ability to review recorded sessions at a later time amongst work commitments switch easily from congruent sessions
  Online session formats11.1%, N= 124 shorter in duration concise in delivery of key topics
Barriers to fulfilling motivations for virtual conference attendance Total N= 724 Difficultly interacting with others32.5%, N= 235 virtual interaction with speakers, other experts and colleagues perceived as not possible in the same waymissing the impromptu nature of spontaneous in-person meetings e.g., in corridors not being in the same time zone so watching sessions at different times e.g., recordings
  Difficult to network19.5%, N= 141 challenging to interact with other members to form collaborative links challenging to introduce younger members into the scientific community
  Technical issues14.2%, N= 103 technical issues pre-conference when uploading material onto the platform, during the conference when streaming sessions and after when accessing post-conference recordings
  Online formats cause difficulty for extended concentration12,4%, N= 77 reduced concentration when watching online sessions hard to concentrate on the screen
  Allocating time for conference amongst work commitments10.6%, N=90 Busy with clinical work commitments to attend online sessions

* Responses with >10% of total participants are included in the table.

Int J Med Educ. 2025; 16:11-20; doi: 10.5116/ijme.676f.ce30