Tıp Fakültesi Öğrencilerinin Pandemi Döneminde Meslekleri ile İlgili Kaygılarının İncelenmesi

Abstract

Aim: The Covid-19 pandemic has affected healthcare system deeply. The healthcare workers served at high risk. In this period, medical students continued their education remotely. This study was aimed to evaluate the concerns of the medical students about their own health as well as their profession and thoughts about their decision to start medical school. Methods: This study was conducted in Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Faculty of Medicine between 10-17 May 2020. The online questionnaire including demographic information, occupational anxiety, health anxiety, health cognition level were sent to 2281 students. The data were obtained using a convenience sampling. The distribution of the data is presented using median (minimum-maximum). Double-series correlation coefficient, chi-square test and polychoric correlation coefficient were used to evaluate the relationship between responses to the questionnaire. Results: A total of 885 students completed the questionnaire. The mean age was 21.47 (±2.62); 545 (61.9%) of them were female. A number of 809 (91.8%) students stated that they chose medical school willingly while 72 (8.2%) students unwillingly. Those who unwillingly chose medicine had a high desire to change their profession. The distance education was sufficient for 168 (19.2%) students; partially sufficient for 435 students. As the semester increased, their professional anxiety, awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of their professions, trust to the health system, ability of reviewing different professional resources increased. Female students were more concerned about their professional and general health than male students. Conclusions: Although the pandemic had effects on medical students' profession choice and anxiety levels, in general, these effects was not higher. The professional anxiety, awareness of the profession, trust to the health system, ability of reviewing different professional resources were related to semester year. Distance education systems should be improved. Psychological support can be provided for the students. Moreover the results should be evaluated regarding the time of study and expectations the end of pandemic in a short time that may be the reason more optimistic answers.