Covid-19 pandemic & medical education: A medical student’s perspective

Abstract

The specific impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education remains elusive and evolving. Clinical teaching opportunities have become limited with the shift in focus of supervising physicians away from trainees and towards the care of the sick and vulnerable. The presence of medical students in hospitals has come to represent an added strain on vital resources, and the added risk of viral dissemination into communities has left medical students eager to help observing from only the sidelines. The present article provides a medical student’s perspective on this unique, evolving situation, and identifies several learning opportunities that medical students may reflect upon and carry forth into their careers ahead. By exploring the current and future impact of this pandemic on clerkship, pre-clerkship and post-graduate medical training, specific challenges and future direction for both medical students and educators are discussed.

Association between perceived stress and depression among medical students during the outbreak of COVID-19: The mediating role of insomnia

“…The prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students was higher than that reported in the general population before the COVID-19 epidemic ( Hope and Henderson, 2014 ; Puthran et al., 2016 ; Rotenstein et al., 2016 ; Voltmer et al., 2012 ). With the outbreak of COVID-19, medical students suspended classes and were unable to participate in social activities, which might not only affect academic performance but also aggravate depression ( Abi-Rafeh et al., 2020 ; Tariq et al., Sah, 2020 ). The highly stressful experience of coping during the COVID epidemic may be associated negative emotional outcomes.…”

COVID-19 Pandemic and Medical Education in Nigeria

“…Online teaching platforms and educational resources such as video conferencing with instructional services and electronic applications 3,4 are now available to reinforce medical training. The transition to e-learning and teaching services to bridge the learning gaps is, however, not seamless.…”

“…Frequent interruptions in learning activities since the advent of the pandemic have affected the duration of training. Rather than the early graduation for final year trainees seen in certain developed countries, 4 trainees in Nigeria are faced with delays so as to make up for missed content. This situation has a snowball effect, stalling admission for new entrants into the system.…”

Anaesthetic National Teaching Programme for Students (ANTPS)

“…Furthermore, with significant restrictions in staffing quotas, financial restraints and national guidance, medical schools have struggled with mammoth task of converting all their scheduled teaching and assessments into a virtual format. Without practising clinical skills and with reduced clinical learning opportunities tailored specifically for undergraduates, COVID-19 has augmented students’ anxiety towards OSCEs and students’ lack of confidence in skills set by Foundation training32 33 hence the need for nationally standardised supplementary course.…”