Students should allow the COVID-19 Pandemic to influence their training programme choices

Abstract

Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, medical students are currently having no face-to-face teaching and access to the clinical learning environment has been restricted. Here, we explore just some of the ways that this has affected our education and may continue to do so. We explore the risks that this poses to both our careers, and the medical profession as a whole. Changing the approach that students take to their selection of foundation programmes is potentially a vital way in which we can limit the long-term damage to career progression. We suggest that students take advantage of the learning opportunities that the foundation programme presents, through using rotations to make up for lost exposure to specialties that they would have otherwise experienced if not for the pandemic. We also recommend how the professional environment must be receptive and welcoming for the next generation. Together, this all aims to encourage trainees to thrive in areas where confidence and experience may be lacking due to the dearth of exposure as a direct result of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Academic Speculation of Medical Students of Bangladesh: A Cross-sectional, Comparative Study

“…[17] This will have a profound impact, not only on knowledge in these areas but also on progression through medical college and career choice. [18] The participants of current research also agreed that COVID-19 pandemic will definitely influence their future career plan and similar kind of viewpoint was observed in a study conducted in US. [19] COVID-19 pandemic emerged as the most devastating and challenging crisis for public health in the contemporary world.…”

Decline of Cadaveric Dissection in Anatomy Education During the Covid‐19 Pandemic: Can it Affect Future Surgeons’ Competency?

“…It seems that the Covid-19 pandemic may have a negative impact on students by depriving them of the ability to dissect. In addition, the disruption of students' clinical clerkships and access to wet laboratories for research purposes (Chae et al, 2020) has affected their training (Sharma and Ogle, 2020) and resulted in the implementation of virtual and remote platforms for education and research (Chae et al, 2020;Singal et al, 2020). This shift which has taken place in many medical schools, due to the Covid-19 pandemic, may have simultaneously stimulated and accelerated the necessary further research on the implementation of technology-based anatomy teaching tools .…”