Medical Student Volunteers Research Articles

The Motivation and Sense of Meaning of College Student Volunteers in Nanjing Medical College Research on the Relationship with the Persistence of Voluntary Behavior

College student volunteers are an important part of China's volunteers, and medical college student volunteers play an indispensable role in earthquake relief, health assistance and other volunteer activities due to their medical professional knowledge and background. As of 2021, the number of medical students volunteers in China has reached 37,000, and while the team is growing, the team construction of volunteers is also facing a series of problems, such as the lack of sustainability of volunteer behavior, which also restricts the sustainable development of volunteer service in China. The study came to the following conclusions: (1) There was a positive correlation between the motivation of medical college students and the sense of meaning of work. (2) There was a positive correlation be-tween the participation motivation of medical college students and the persistence of volunteer behavior. (3) There was a positive correlation between the sense of meaning of work and the persistence of volunteer behavior. (4) The sense of meaning of work of college student volunteers played a mediating role in the relationship between participation motivation and the persistence of volunteer behavior. Based on the research, this paper proposes strategies to boost medical students' service motivation and work meaning, fostering sustainable volunteer behavior and stabilizing the volunteer base.

The Use of Diabetes Educational Videos for Enhancing Medical Student Volunteers’ Patient Education Skills at a Student-Run Clinic

The Use of Diabetes Educational Videos for Enhancing Medical Student Volunteers’ Patient Education Skills at a Student-Run Clinic

WellNest: A Medical Student-Run Housing Support Program.

Being unhoused and facing housing insecurity contribute to poor health outcomes. Medical school curricula may include social determinants of health (SDOH) topics. However, experiential learning opportunities allow students to better contextualize how SDOH impact patients. The WellNest Housing Support Program (WellNest) was conceived and developed by Duke University medical students to learn from and support community members with a history of housing insecurity. Under the supervision of community organizations providing housing assistance services, WellNest was created in April 2020. Medical student-volunteers (MSVs) call clients, who are referred to WellNest by the community organizations, to plan move-ins. Local experts provide trainings on topics relevant to health care for individuals experiencing loss of housing. MSVs source and move furniture and clients' belongings into the new homes. Following move-in, MSVs are paired with clients to provide longitudinal tenancy support for at least 1 year. Student-volunteers contemplate their experiences and learning takeaways through debriefing sessions and an optional online survey. From fall 2021 to spring 2023, 83 student-volunteers from across the university participated in WellNest. Student-volunteers were generally medical students (37, 45%), and 16 MSVs served on the leadership team. WellNest facilitated 29 move-ins, and 26 clients requested to be paired with MSVs for longitudinal tenancy support. Following participation in WellNest, student-volunteers reported increased comfort, awareness, knowledge, and motivation related to caring for, discussing, and advocating for individuals experiencing housing insecurity. As students from other programs are also interested in WellNest, there is potential for interprofessional education. Student-volunteers will be encouraged to participate in additional opportunities for reflection and advocacy activities. The impact of WellNest on clients will be explored through a questionnaire and narrative interviews. Long-term financial support was secured from community donations and partnering community organizations.

Association of maladaptive daydreaming with behavioral addiction

Maladaptive daydreaming (MD) is a proposed syndrome characterized by extensive, immersive daydreaming. Case reports have suggested an association of MD with behavioral addictions such as excessive internet use, online gaming, and compulsive sexual behaviors. The aim of this study was to investigate maladaptive daydreaming and behavioral addiction symptoms among young adults. An online questionnaire was administered to 293 volunteer medical students. Participants were assessed by applying the 16-item Maladaptive Daydreaming Scale (MDS-16), Addictive Behavior Burden Form, and Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder Self-Report Scale (ASRS). Participants were divided into two groups: probable MD (MDers) and non-MDers, according to MDS-16. Age and gender did not significantly differ between the MD and non-MD groups. MDers had more severe symptoms associated with gaming addiction (p = 0.03; U = 4941), problematic social media use (p = 0.01; U = 4680), food addiction (p = 0.01; U = 4965), sex/pornography addiction (p = 0.01; U = 4787), and compulsive buying (p = 0.03; U = 4874) than non-MDers. Among the behavioral addiction dimensions assessed in the study, only gaming addiction was a significant statistical predictor of MD. These findings highlight a significant association between MD and behavioral addictions, particularly gaming addiction, in young adults. Furthermore, the findings of this study suggest a unique relationship between gaming addiction and MD.

Exploring Divergent Views: A Comparative Study of Uterus Transplantation Perceptions among Transplant and Obstetrics/Gynecology Providers.

Background: Uterus transplantation (UTx) provides women with absolute uterine-factor infertility (AUFI) the opportunity to carry their own pregnancy and deliver a child. There are multiple ethical and medical concerns associated with UTx. Since the last survey of US provider perceptions of UTx in 2018, there have been additional reports of successful transplantations and pregnancies. This study aimed to identify the perception of UTx among providers involved in the diagnosis of AUFI and on the transplant team to help us understand knowledge gaps and determine what barriers must be overcome for UTx to be used in general clinical practice. Methods: We administered REDCap surveys to conference attendees at the 2023 American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) conference and 2023 American Transplant Congress (ATC). Participants were recruited by medical student volunteers. Results: Two hundred ACOG and ATC attendees completed the survey. Medical concerns related to UTx were reported by 42% of providers from ACOG compared to 22% of providers from ATC. Overall, 76% of participants agreed that UTx should be an option for patients with congenital AUFI. Lastly, 68% of participants agreed that the procedure should be presented as an option for transgender women. Conclusions: This study further elucidates the perception of UTx among obstetricians/gynecologists and transplant physicians. We found greater support for the procedure than in previous studies. This study also demonstrates provider support for presenting this procedure as an option for transgender women.

Smokers Versus Non-Smokers: Comparing Cognitive Flexibility and Dyspnea Symptoms in Medical Students

Objective: Smoking is an escalating public health concern globally, notably for its frequency among young individuals and the medical conditions it induces. This research aims to explore the association between smoking and the symptoms of dyspnea as well as cognitive flexibility levels in medical students. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 188 volunteer medical school students. Participants were administered a sociodemographic data form, the Dyspnea-12 Scale, and the Cognitive Flexibility Scale. The participants were divided into two groups as smokers and non-smokers and compared in terms of the applied scale scores. The data were analyzed using the appropriate statistical methods with IBM SPSS v.22 software. Results: Of the 188 participants, 56.9% (n:107) were female, while 43.1% (n: 81) were male. The prevalence of smoking among participants was 26.1% (n: 49), with rates at 38.3% (n:31) for males and 16.8% (n: 18) for females. The smoking rate was significantly higher in males (p<0.001). No significant difference was detected between smokers and non-smokers regarding the Dyspnea-12 score. However, the Cognitive Flexibility Scale scores were significantly lower in the smoker group (p:0.018). Conclusion: In our study, we found that the smoking rate among medical students was quite high and that smoking negatively affected cognitive flexibility. It may be beneficial to consider this when evaluating cognitive functions in educated individuals who smoke.

Implementation and mixed-methods evaluation of "Walk with a Doc" program at Stony Brook.

Walking groups run by trained individuals, lasting under an hour in a natural environment, may be a cost-effective way by which to encourage sustainable changes in physical activity as well as foster companionship and a shared experience of wellness among participants. Walk with a Doc (WWaD) is a national program that provides a platform for medical professionals, including physicians and medical students, to deliver a short talk on a health topic prior to walking side by side with patients and community members. To evaluate the WWaD Chapter at Stony Brook following implementation, a questionnaire was designed utilizing a mixed-methods approach (i.e.,containing qualitative and quantitative items) and administered to all attendees monthly prior to the health discussion. The aim of the questionnaire was fourfold: first, to obtain participant demographics; second, to obtain information on attendees' own perceptions of their health status and the role exercise plays in their health; third, to gain data on physical activity levels, including lengths of exercise sessions and types of activities performed; and fourth, to learn more about attendees' motivations and goals for participating in the walks. We received an IRB exemption. Physician and medical student volunteers were recruited from Stony Brook University Hospital, a suburban tertiary care center, to oversee program logistics. WWaD was scheduled to take place on the third Sunday of every month for 1 h at Heritage Park in Mount Sinai, New York. The event was advertised by volunteers to colleagues, peers, patients, and community members utilizing word of mouth, printed flyers, emails to listservs, and social media outlets. Each month, a physician volunteer oversaw a brief discussion (approximately 10 min in length). Over the course of the 5 month evaluation period, 91individuals participated in the walks, including repeat attendees. After excluding duplicate or incomplete entries, data from 30 participants were included in this analysis. The majority of participants were female (n=24) with a mean age of 50 years (range, 23-98 years). Feedback on WWaD program elements was largely positive. Participants commended the monthly speakers for "informative talks" (n=6) on "interesting topics" (n=4), with plans to review the supplemental information in educational pamphlets following the walk (n=4). The brochures were also deemed "helpful." Overwhelmingly, patients referred to the community gathering and team building aspects of WWaD as the "most enjoyable" aspect of the program (n=8) and a key driver for participation. This mixed-methods study of the WWaD chapter at Stony Brook contributes to a growing body of evidence highlighting the value of walking groups as effective avenues for collaboration in producing accessible healthy behavior.

Assessing Community Needs Among Spanish-Speaking Patients in a Free Clinic Setting.

La Clínica Latina is a free clinic that strives to meet the healthcare needs of the Spanish-speaking population of Franklin County, Ohio, including metropolitan Columbus. As a student-run free clinic, care is provided each week by volunteer medical students and resident physicians under the administrative leadership of the medical student board and clinical supervision of licensed physicians. Patients served by the clinic have a multitude of chronic health conditions, which are managed by clinic volunteers through the delivery of over 1500 appointments per year. In order to better serve the rapidly growing patient population, this study describes the delivery and results of an assessment aimed at understanding the needs that are being met sufficiently at the clinic and what pitfalls still exist in the clinic's provision of care. By delivering a survey inquiring about the experiences of patients at La Clínica Latina, clinic workflow can be optimized for the provision of patient-centered care. Insights collected from a convenience sample of 30 patients demonstrate mobile phone use as the primary mode of communication with clinic volunteers, previously under-appreciated musculoskeletal health concerns, longer than desired wait times after check-in, and variable experiences of health literacy by patient gender. By addressing each of these insights in updates to clinic workflow, La Clínica Latina may prove to become an even more useful resource to the region's growing Hispanic population.

Restoring vision, restoring hope: My experience as a medical student volunteer at a mega eye camp.

Restoring vision, restoring hope: My experience as a medical student volunteer at a mega eye camp.

Widening participation in medicine: A focus group evaluation of mock multiple mini-interviews for medical school applicants

Background Medical school applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds feel less confident and are less likely to be successful in their applications compared to their peers. Widening participation interventions seek to address this under-representation. This study evaluated the effectiveness of one such intervention: a mock multiple mini-interview, designed using guidelines created by the Medical Schools Council. Methods The intervention was delivered by a team of medical student volunteers called Manchester Outreach Medics. A total of 29 participants attended the session, which prioritised the recruitment of Year 12 pupils with widening participation flags. The participants completed eight interview stations, with facilitated briefing and debriefing. Participants received both verbal and written feedback throughout. Three focus groups were conducted after the intervention, and thematic analysis was applied to explore its effectiveness. Results Out of 29 participants, who consented to take part in a focus group, 28 attended. They felt that the formal nature of the intervention helped eliminate first time nerves and raised their confidence for future medical school interviews. They valued the regular feedback throughout the session as it encouraged continuous improvement. Some participants felt the intervention helped with their isolation, as they had no peers who were applying to medical school. After the session, participants believed that they could be successful in the real medical school interview. Conclusion This study established that hosting a mock multiple mini-interview session, following the Medical Schools Council guidance, had a positive impact on pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds. The intervention can be delivered both by teachers and medical student volunteers. The MMI session could be improved by factoring in time for informal debriefs with peers, allocating more time for assessors to mark the stations, and incorporating a virtual MMI station.

Evaluating an intergenerational art and storytelling program with older adults and medical students

Older adults in residential communities face loneliness and isolation, challenges exacerbated by COVID-19, leading to adverse physical and mental health outcomes. Intergenerational arts and humanities programs have been successful in addressing these challenges while also enabling medical learners to better understand aging populations. Draw YOUR Story, a program at a Houston residential senior living community, connects premedical and medical student volunteers with older adults through an art and storytelling activity. To evaluate the program, we conducted a focus group with older adults and pre and post-volunteering student surveys with questions about attitudes towards older adults and an Interpersonal Reactivity Index. Student surveys (n = 18) showed increased comfort working with older adults after volunteering (p = 0.02). Students who spent less time volunteering reported a decline in their perceptions of older adult quality of life, when compared to more frequent volunteers (p = 0.02). Older adults shared that the program encouraged learning new skills, offered time for reflection, connected them to medicine, and furthered desire for community. Draw YOUR Story benefitted students and older adults, increasing student comfort with older adults, providing aging adults opportunities to learn new skills and reflect, and building intergenerational connections.

Teaching Tracheostomy Tube Changes: Comparison of Operant Learning Versus Traditional Demonstration.

Tracheostomy tube change is a multistep skill that must be performed rapidly and precisely. Despite the critical importance of this skill, there is wide variation in teaching protocols. An innovative operant conditioning teaching methodology was employed and compared to traditional educational techniques. Medical student volunteers at a tertiary care academic institution (Albert Einstein College of Medicine) were recruited and randomly distributed into 2 groups: operant vs traditional (control). Following the educational session, each group was provided with practice time and then asked to perform 10 tracheostomy tube changes. Performance was recorded and scored by blinded raters using deidentified video recordings. The operant learning group (OLG) demonstrated greater accuracy in performing a tracheostomy tube change than the traditional demonstration group. Twelve of 13 operant learners performed the skill accurately each time compared to 3 of 13 in the traditional group (P = 0.002). The median lesson time was longer for the OLG (535 seconds) than for the traditional group, (200 seconds P < 0.001). The average time per tracheostomy change was not significantly different between the 2 groups (operant learners mean 7.1 seconds, traditional learners mean 7.5 seconds, P = 0.427). Although the operant conditioning methodology necessarily requires a greater time to teach, the results support this methodology over traditional learning modalities as it enhances accuracy in the acquired skill. Operant learning methodology is under consideration for other skills and education sessions in our program. Future steps include the application and adaptation of this education model to students and residents in other settings and fields. Operant learning is effective for teaching multistep skills such as tracheostomy tube changes with decreased error rates.

Biobank Education for Future Physicians: Training Medical Students Through Student Research Association Networks.

Research biobanks have become crucial collaborators in a variety of basic and clinical research projects with comprehensive biological sample collection and associated data storage. Medical students, who are the most important stakeholders of biobanks as future physicians, need to be trained in biobanking; however, there is no consensus on how to include it in formal education. This study aimed to determine and increase awareness among medical students regarding biobanks through peer training organized online by medical student research association networks. Volunteer medical or graduate students were trained by biobank professionals at the Izmir Biomedicine and Genome Center (IBG) biobank for 6-9 months. Then, a biobank event was planned by these trainees, the Ege Scientific Research Team (ESRT), and IBG-Biobank with the support of The Biobanking and BioMolecular Resources Research Infrastructure (BBMRI) Turkey. The study reached students of 46 different medical faculties. Before the event, students' level of knowledge about biobanks was identified using a pre-event questionnaire (n = 239). Following 2 days (4 main sessions) of online events, a post-event questionnaire was administered to event participants (n = 110) and 80.9% of them answered (n = 89). The pre-event survey revealed that only 34.3% of the medical students had heard of the term "Biobank" in Turkey. After the event, medical students were significantly more enthusiastic about putting effort into biobanking and using and sharing stored biobank samples of their patients compared with the pre-event (p < 0.0001). Moreover, 92% of the students stated that they would consider attending an advanced course in biobanking. In conclusion, the current study demonstrates that extracurricular courses with peer learning methods coordinated with medical student associations can be valuable in increasing future physicians' awareness and knowledge of biobanking.

Beyond Cultural Humility – South Asian Cultural Specificity Training Garners Reform in Medical Curricula: A Workshop for Medical Students of Free Community Clinics

Background: Cultural humility is the notion of keeping an open mind towards learning about various cultural backgrounds of patients to improve health-care quality. Although medical curricula regarding cultural competency exist, a lack of integration creates disparities in culturally-appropriate healthcare. These disparities can be attributed to a lack of medical training to illuminate nuances among patient populations of interest. Educational material on cultural perspectives of the South Asian diaspora is especially limited. This article describes the implementation of a cultural humility workshop that addresses disparities preventing healthcare providers from delivering culturally appropriate care for members of the South Asian population. Methods: A new educational workshop on South Asian cultural humility was virtually presented to 40 medical student volunteers at a free clinic. The workshop was presented in a large-group format, followed by interactive case-based discussions with student facilitators. Cases reinforced participants’ understanding of cultural humility. Student volunteers assessed the workshop with qualitative and quantitative pre- and post-surveys. Results: Paired-sample t-tests across four of five domains of cultural humility reported statistically significant results. Content and thematic analysis showed participant interest in additional training and belief that the case studies solidified their understanding of the topics presented. Conclusions: These results highlight the utility of cultural humility training based on common clinical situations with patients of South Asian origin. It also displays a method to improve patient-provider relationships and to provide patient-centered care. Future endeavors include integrating this workshop into student clinic onboarding programs and optimizing its curriculum placement.

Participation of medical students in the medical team of sports events.

Including medical student volunteers in the medical team for the triathlon strengthens the medical team structure, and encourages medical students to involve in sports medicine. Family physicians who play a role in the medical team for sports events can adopt medical students as a member and can educate them.

Evaluation the validity and reliability of the perceived medical school stress scale in Turkish medical students.

Medical education can be a challenging and stressful process. Additional stressors can make the medical education process even more complex and impair a student's attention and concentration. To the authors' knowledge, there is no valid and reliable scale to measure medical school stress in Turkish medical students. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the validity and reliability of the Perceived Medical School Stress (PMSS) Scale in Turkish medical students. The Perceived Medical School Stress Scale is a self-assessment tool developed to measure medical school-induced stress in medical students. It consists of 13 items divided into two subdimensions. Scale items are answered using a four-point (0-4) Likert system The total score that can be obtained from the PMSS ranges from 0 to 52, with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived stress. First, the scale was applied as a pilot to 52 students by performing the scale's back-and-forth translation into Turkish. Then, the scale was applied to 612 volunteer medical students to ensure validity. Convergent validity and confirmatory factor analysis are used to assess the construct validity of a scale. Test-retest, item correlations, and Cronbach's alpha coefficients are used to evaluate the reliability of a scale. As a result of confirmatory factor analysis, the two-factor structure of the original scale was confirmed. The fit indices of the model obtained showed excellent fit. The Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) Scale was used for convergent validity. The GAD-7 is a self-assessment tool that measures the level of generalized anxiety. It is answered with a four-point Likert scale for the last two weeks. The score that can be obtained from the scale is between 0-21. A score of ten or more indicates possible anxiety disorder. The students' mean perceived medical school stress score was 39.80±8.09, and their GAD-7 score was 11.0±5.5. A significant positive relationship was found between the total scores of the scales (r = .48, P < .001). The Cronbach's alpha value of the scale was .81, and test-retest reliability was significant for all scale items (P < .001 for all). No item was deleted according to Cronbach's alpha values and item-total correlations. There was no significant relationship between Turkish version of the PMSS and GAD-7 scores and age, sex, income status, tobacco use, or exercise (P>.05). The Turkish version of the Perceived Medical School Stress Scale is a valid and reliable scale that can be used to investigate the medical school-specific stress of students.

The Development of a Multidisciplinary Support Network to Support Hospitalized Pediatric Patients, Their Families, and Hospital Staff During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic led to emotional and behavioral challenges for hospitalized pediatric patients, their families, and staff. Visitor restrictions, closure of patient lounges and playrooms, masking requirements, and enhanced isolation rules resulted in limited access to typical sources of psychosocial support during this traumatic event. Complementary and integrative health therapies such as acupuncture and related therapies are well suited to provide the humanitarian support patients and families need during times of crisis. The Multidisciplinary Support Network (i.e., Network) was formed to redesign the delivery of acupuncture and other integrative therapies alongside psychosocial support for hospitalized children, their families, and staff. Network members represented a broad range of previously siloed disciplines including integrative therapies, art therapy, child life, nursing, pastoral care, adolescent medicine, pediatric hospital medicine, psychology, and child and adolescent psychiatry. The Network aimed to identify gaps in service and create resources to support children and families during this challenging time. The Network compiled existing complementary and integrative services, provided training on integrative therapies to staff, pediatric trainees, and faculty, developed the Comfort Box containing items to provide symptom relief including pain, anxiety and difficulty sleeping, as well as closed-circuit programming, a pediatric companionship program connecting medical student volunteer companions with pediatric patients, and a well-being workbook. Collaborative teamwork across disciplines using integrative therapies was key to humanitarian efforts to support hospitalized children and their families during this crisis.

Tıp fakültesi öğrencilerinde azalmış kor enduransı, yorgunluk ve fiziksel inaktivite için risk faktörleri

Aim: In medical faculty students’ investigation of risk factors for physical inactivity and fatigue and basic resilience is important to identify individuals at risk. The primary aim of this study was to determine the factors affecting core endurance, fatigue, and physical inactivity in medical faculty students. The secondary aim is to evaluate the relationship between core endurance and fatigue, physical activity, and low back pain. Additionally, to investigate the relationship between fatigue and physical activity level. Methods: This quantitative cross-sectional study was conducted with 201 healthy volunteer medical faculty students. Demographic data and the history of low back pain were recorded. The trunk flexors endurance test (FLET), Modified Biering-Sorensen test (MBST), and lateral bridge test (LBT) were used to measure trunk muscle core endurance. The physical activity levels of the participants were measured using the “International Physical Activity Scale” (IPAQ). The fatigue Severity Scale was used for the evaluation of fatigue. Results: FLET (p=0.021), MBST (p=0.004), LBT-Right (&amp;lt;0.001), LBT-Left (&amp;lt;0.001) tests were significantly higher in the group with FSS &amp;lt;2.3. A significant correlation was found between female gender and FLET (p&amp;lt;0.001), MBST (p&amp;lt;0.001), LBT-Right (p&amp;lt;0.001), LBT-Left (p&amp;lt;0.001). Gender (p=0.049), MBST (p=0.003) and MET 3 (p=0.025) were determined as factors affecting fatigue in the regression model. Female gender (OR= 0.376; p= 0.049) and MBST (OR= 0.986; p= 0.003) was determined as a risk factor for fatigue. Conclusion: Female gender, decreased core endurance, and physical inactivity are protective factors affecting fatigue in medical school students. Age, gender, body mass index, smoking, alcohol, and low back pain history were not found to be risk factors for physical inactivity. Improving core endurance is protective for physical inactivity.

Vaccine Acceptance During a Novel Student-led Emergency Department COVID-19 Vaccination Program.

The coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic not only exacerbated barriers to healthcare but has also highlighted the trend toward increased vaccine hesitancy. Our goal was to improve COVID-19 vaccine uptake through a student-led, emergency department-based (ED) vaccination program. This prospective, quality-improvement pilot program used medical and pharmacy student volunteers as COVID-19 vaccine screeners in a southern, urban, academic ED. Patients eligible for vaccination were offered either the Janssen-Johnson & Johnson or the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and were educated about vaccine concerns. Vaccine acceptance rates were recorded, as well as reasons for vaccine hesitancy, vaccine brand preferences, and demographics. The primary and secondary quantitative outcomes were overall vaccine acceptance and change in vaccine acceptance after student-provided education, respectively. We performed logistic regression to identify potential variables that correlated with vaccine acceptance. Guided by the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research, focus group interviews with four key stakeholder groups explored implementation facilitators and barriers. We screened 406 patients for COVID-19 vaccination eligibility and current vaccine status, the majority of whom were unvaccinated. Of unvaccinated or partially vaccinated patients, vaccine acceptance before education was 28.3% (81/286), and vaccine acceptance after education was 31.5% (90/286) (% difference, 3.1% [95% CI 0.3%-5.9%], P=0.03). The most common hesitancy factors cited were concerns about side effects and safety. Results from the regression analysis indicated that increasing age and Black race were associated with an increased odds of vaccine acceptance. Focus groups revealed implementation barriers, including patient resistance and workflow issues, and facilitators, including student involvement and public health promotion. Using medical and pharmacy student volunteers as COVID-19 vaccine screeners was successful, and brief education provided by the students led to a modest increase in vaccine acceptance, with overall acceptance of 31.5%. Numerous educational benefits are described.

Medical students rise to the COVID-19 vaccine challenge

Abstract&#x0D; Background&#x0D; The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted medical student education at a time when they were most eager to step up and help with the pandemic response. Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) leveraged an existing relationship with the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) and the major healthcare systems in the state to assist with the state’s mass vaccination campaign. In this paper, we describe the development and implementation of a medical student volunteer program and highlight the main components of integrating community service programs into medical education.&#x0D; Methods&#x0D; IUSM appointed a taskforce to create a state-wide IUSM Medical Student Volunteer Vaccinator program to quickly train and deploy a medical student volunteer workforce. This taskforce was charged with (1) creating and delivering asynchronous and in-person training curriculum for all nine regional campuses and (2) coordinating medical student volunteerism for vaccine delivery across the state of Indiana.&#x0D; Results&#x0D; A total of 517 of 739 targeted medical students were fully trained in vaccine administration and contributed to over 2,000 hours of volunteer community service and delivered over 15,000 vaccine doses across the state of Indiana. Students also participated in other essential vaccination delivery roles, such as screening and registration of patients, exit monitoring, and pre-calling patients to remind them of their appointments.&#x0D; Conclusions&#x0D; Community service should be a critical component of medical student education. The IUSM Medical Student Volunteer Vaccinator program is an example of what the collaboration between medical schools, state health departments, and healthcare systems can achieve. This model can not only be disseminated to other medical school / healthcare system dyads for mass vaccination efforts but can also be expanded to other public health initiatives such as health screening programs, health education programs, contact tracing programs, community outreach programs, and global health initiatives.&#x0D; &#x0D; Conflicts of interest: None