Assess, Adapt, & Innovate: An Effort to Ensure Sustainability of Medical Student-led Community Engagement during the COVID-19 Situation in Indonesia

Abstract

ABSTRACT. The Tri Dharma Perguruan Tinggi or The Three Pillars of Higher Education is a common principle attached to university students in Indonesia. Out of the three, giving back to the community resonates greatly with medical students, especially when aligned with the Hippocratic Oath. Although, since the COVID-19 pandemic started, students pondered how such face-to-face limitations could be deterred to still give back to the society. This experience tells a brief recount of creative efforts made by students from the faculty of medicine, Universitas Indonesia (FMUI) in finding ways to empower the community in such drastic times. Kampung Lio is a village directly taken care of by the faculty. Before the pandemic, efforts made to develop the community include conducting free general checkups and health assessments which is later used as baseline data for our community development program. Efforts to continue development during COVID-19 utilized many different virtual mediums in conducting online-based events. Health promotion was conducted using e-booklets sent via WhatsApp groups filled by the villagers from Kampung Lio.Telehealth also played a huge role in our intervention, as we succeeded in conducting a hybrid intervention - combining remote painting classes while calling and providing an ear for them to listen. Despite intervention still being possible, a proper assessment of the community’s ability to utilize such online platforms is recommended before execution. Furthermore, to maximize engagement with the community, building a good rapport is necessary which could be achieved through small interactions prior to the intervention even through online means.

The State of Learning Patterns within Medical Education in a Post-pandemic World: Reflection from IJMS Authors and an Overview of the IJMS Volume 10 Issue 3

“…The authors utilized online platforms to maximize engagement with the community and to build a good rapport by holding events in the PrimaKu app, an app of the Indonesian Pediatric Society designed to monitor child growth and development. 22 In terms of changes in the healthcare system, Jack Allen, in a systematic review, used qualitative research to investigate the experiences of adults who have used remote consultations in primary care settings. Three themes were found, including advantages, potential disadvantages, and advantageous prerequisites for telemedicine consultations in primary care.…”