Abstract
ABSTRACT In Syria, medical students were placed on call to provide sufficient human resources during COVID-19 pandemic. This research aimed to explore the ability and willingness of the final-year medical students to assist during COVID-19 in the Syrian war-torn and fragile health-system. Final-year Syrian medical students were approached between 9th-17th April 2020 through an online questionnaire. Students’ COVID-19-related medical knowledge (5-point score), clinical judgement (5-point score), and preparedness and willingness to integrate in healthcare facilities were assessed. A 10-point score was created, and linear regression and Tukey’s HSD test were conducted. 1673 valid responses were received, of which 1199 (71.66%) responses were from the final-year students. Of the latter, 728 (60.71%) scored 4 points or higher in the medical knowledge score (mean 3.69 points), while 298 (24.85%) scored 4 or higher in the clinical judgement score. Final-year students scored significantly higher than the fourth-year students in the clinical judgement score. Finally, 682 (56.88%) of the final-year students expressed willingness to volunteer with healthcare teams. Final-year medical students may provide medical aid, on voluntary basis, by working in fragile health systems during pandemics. However, this should be undertaken in cases of extreme need. Sufficient personal protective measures, intensive training, and adequate supervision should be guaranteed.
Highlights
The question about the role of the senior medical students in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic was raised after the serious shortage in healthcare workers faced by many healthcare systems
In other epidemics, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS), unprepared health systems have demonstrated an apparent defect in providing services and a shortage of healthcare providers, this was the situation even in more developed countries, e.g., Canada during SARS and Korea during MERS, where healthcare facilities may have even had a role in disease dissemination.[4, 5]
During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) recommended that it may be the best for the students safety to limit student direct care of COVID-19 cases,[8] and highlighted the unnecessary risks for the patients and healthcare workers (HCWs) caused by non-qualified medical students
Summary
The question about the role of the senior medical students in the fight against COVID-19 pandemic was raised after the serious shortage in healthcare workers faced by many healthcare systems. Some schools prevented students from interacting with patients, while others recruited them to work with healthcare workers (HCWs).[7] During the COVID-19 pandemic, The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) recommended that it may be the best for the students safety to limit student direct care of COVID-19 cases,[8] and highlighted the unnecessary risks for the patients and HCWs caused by non-qualified medical students It emphasized the additional burden on physicians/educators.[7] On the other hand, some UK Medical schools have been granted the power to graduate their students early,[9] and in Italy, a plan was put to call on final-year and graduated medical students to meet the demand and support the workforce.[6]
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