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West HM, Flain L, Davies RM, Shelley B, Edginton OT. Medical student wellbeing during COVID-19: a qualitative study of challenges, coping strategies, and sources of support. BMC Psychol 2024; 12:179. [PMID: 38549145 PMCID: PMC10979564 DOI: 10.1186/s40359-024-01618-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Medical students face challenges to their mental wellbeing and have a high prevalence of mental health problems. During training, they are expected to develop strategies for dealing with stress. This study investigated factors medical students perceived as draining and replenishing during COVID-19, using the 'coping reservoir' model of wellbeing. METHODS In synchronous interactive pre-recorded webinars, 78 fourth-year medical students in the UK responded to reflective prompts. Participants wrote open-text comments on a Padlet site. Responses were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. RESULTS Analysis identified five themes. COVID-19 exacerbated academic pressures, while reducing the strategies available to cope with stress. Relational connections with family and friends were affected by the pandemic, leading to isolation and reliance on housemates for informal support. Relationships with patients were adversely affected by masks and telephone consultations, however attending placement was protective for some students' wellbeing. Experiences of formal support were generally positive, but some students experienced attitudinal and practical barriers. CONCLUSIONS This study used a novel methodology to elicit medical students' reflections on their mental wellbeing during COVID-19. Our findings reinforce and extend the 'coping reservoir' model, increasing our understanding of factors that contribute to resilience or burnout. Many stressors that medical students typically face were exacerbated during COVID-19, and their access to coping strategies and support were restricted. The changes to relationships with family, friends, patients, and staff resulted in reduced support and isolation. Recognising the importance of relational connections upon medical students' mental wellbeing can inform future support.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen M West
- Department of Psychology, University of Liverpool, Eleanor Rathbone Building, Bedford Street South, Liverpool, L69 7ZA, UK.
| | - Luke Flain
- Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Liverpool, UK
| | - Rowan M Davies
- School of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK
| | - Benjamin Shelley
- School of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Calderdale and Huddersfield NHS Foundation Trust, West Yorkshire, UK
| | - Oscar T Edginton
- School of Medicine, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK
- Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Leeds, UK
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Lu J, Wu D. What Should Chinese Medical Students Learn From the COVID-19 Outbreak From Surgeons' View? A Deep Insight Into the Post-COVID-19 Situation. Front Public Health 2022; 10:736047. [PMID: 35400045 PMCID: PMC8989954 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.736047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Jun Lu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China.,Department of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Dong Wu
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China.,Department of General Surgery, Fujian Medical University Union Hospital, Fuzhou, China.,Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
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Sinyard RD, Coe TM, Healy M, Jogerst KM, Anteby R, Moses J, Hamdi I, Gee D, Phitayakorn R, Saillant N. Gauging the effects of COVID-related changes to the medical student surgical clerkship experience: a mixed-methods study. GLOBAL SURGICAL EDUCATION : JOURNAL OF THE ASSOCIATION FOR SURGICAL EDUCATION 2022; 1:15. [PMID: 38624994 PMCID: PMC8995688 DOI: 10.1007/s44186-022-00015-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Purpose This study sought to understand the medical student experience on the restructured surgical clerkship during the COVID-era to provide guidance for future scenarios affecting student participation in clinical activities. Methods Medical students completing an anonymous 70-question survey at the conclusion of their surgical clerkship from June 2019 to October 2020 were divided into 2 cohorts: students completing their clerkship prior to March 2020 and after June 2020. Quantitative assessment was performed to evaluate the clerkship performance and perceptions. Resulting findings were used to construct an interview guide and conduct semi-structured interviews. Results Fifty-nine medical students rotated through the surgical clerkship prior to COVID and 23 during the COVID-era. No differences in perception of the surgical clerkship, participation in essential activities, or shelf examination scores were found. Students completing their clerkship during the COVID-era reported a lower perception of interaction and professional relationships with attending and resident surgeons (p = 0.03). Qualitatively, students completing their clerkship during the COVID-era struggled to balance clinical experiences with personal wellness and noted that building relationships with faculty was substantially more difficult. Conclusions There does not appear to be a difference in the level of participation in essential clerkship activities nor a diminished perception of learning between students completing their surgical clerkship before or during the pandemic. However, there does appear to be a difference in the relationships formed between students and attending surgeons. Altered didactic structures and apprenticeship-type rotations may help mitigate such effects. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s44186-022-00015-2.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Taylor M. Coe
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Mike Healy
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | | | - Roi Anteby
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Joy Moses
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Isra Hamdi
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Denise Gee
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Roy Phitayakorn
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
| | - Noelle Saillant
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, USA
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Sami M, Farrah N, Iqbal H. Medical students and COVID-19: final-year medical students' perspective. Postgrad Med J 2021; 98:e102. [PMID: 37066533 DOI: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Masuma Sami
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Naeema Farrah
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Humna Iqbal
- Faculty of Life Sciences and Medicine, King's College London, London, UK
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Bandyopadhyay S, Georgiou I, Bligh E, Coyle C, Pancharatnam R, Saunders KEA. SPICE-19: a 3-Month Prospective Cohort Study of 640 Medical Students and Foundation Doctors. MEDICAL SCIENCE EDUCATOR 2021; 31:1621-1637. [PMID: 34306817 PMCID: PMC8294310 DOI: 10.1007/s40670-021-01349-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/02/2021] [Indexed: 05/04/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION There is paucity of data around the support that medical students have been provided with, need to be provided with, and would like to be provided with during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study sought to explore the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students and establish the support they require. METHODS A prospective, observational, multicentre study was conducted in 2020. All medical students and interim foundation year 1 doctors were eligible to participate. RESULTS Six hundred forty individuals participated from 32 medical schools. Participants reported a drop in their mood following the onset of the pandemic (p < 0.001). This drop in mood was evident in both May and August. Participants did have an improved mood in August compared to May (p < 0.001). There was a significant decrease in pandemic disease-anxiety (13.8/20 to 12.4/20, p < 0.001) and consequence-anxiety (6.3/10 to 6.0/10, p < 0.001) between May and August. Nineteen percent of participants (n = 111/596, 19%) had not received the support they needed from their university by August. The most common area of support that our participants needed and had not received from their medical schools by August was support with course material (n = 58/111, 52%). 'Clinical knowledge' was thought to have been affected by the greatest number of participants in both May and August. CONCLUSION Medical students' mental well-being has been adversely affected during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings have actionable implications that can better protect medical students as they acclimatise to a working environment that has been radically changed by COVID-19. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at (10.1007/s40670-021-01349-0).
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Affiliation(s)
- Soham Bandyopadhyay
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Sciences, Oxford University Global Surgery Group, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | | | - Emily Bligh
- Faculty of Medicine, Dentistry & Health, University of Sheffield Medical School, Sheffield, UK
| | - Conor Coyle
- St George’s, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London, UK
| | - Rohan Pancharatnam
- The University of Buckingham Medical School, The University of Buckingham, Milton Keynes, UK
| | - Kate E. A. Saunders
- Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, University of Oxford, Warneford Lane, Oxford, UK
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The COVID-19 Pandemic: Implications for Medical Students and Plastic Surgery Residency Applicants. Plast Reconstr Surg 2021; 148:153e-154e. [PMID: 34100852 PMCID: PMC8238427 DOI: 10.1097/prs.0000000000008080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Leong JMC, Lam WL, Tan SZ, Ng CY. Changing face of medical education during a pandemic: tragedy or opportunity? Postgrad Med J 2021; 98:492-498. [PMID: 34193542 DOI: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-140330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2021] [Accepted: 06/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed forever the way we do certain things. Although the race for a cure and vaccine has taken centre stage, traditional face-to-face medical education has slowly metamorphosised in the background to a virtual world with innumerable webinars, virtual tutorials and lectures in the World Wide Web. Despite this seemingly 'perfect' solution, there remains a hidden cost. Educators are forced to learn new skills to engage students as well as manipulate the electronic platform. Impact on learning for students, both undergraduate and postgraduate from a lack of social interactions, remains unknown. In this article, the authors share their experiences from different specialities about the pros and cons of virtual learning and teaching. Suggestions and practical tips are offered to enhance the learning experience. More emphasis may need to be placed on the creation of learning communities rather than lecture-based curricula. Hybrid curricula or conferences may become the future norm. As we slowly move out of lockdown into a changed world and new ways of doing things, lessons learnt can be harnessed for future hybrid models that can combine the best of technology and physical teaching to reduce worldwide inequalities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wee Leon Lam
- Plastic Surgery, Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Shi Zhuan Tan
- Opthalmology, St Paul's Eye Unit, Royal Liverpool University Hospital, Liverpool, UK
| | - Chye Yew Ng
- Orthopaedics, Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh NHS Foundation Trust, Wigan, UK
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Meng X, Hao C, Tan H, Sun B, Xue D, Bo H. Competency-based medical education for postgraduates in the minimally invasive surgery department during the COVID-19 pandemic. Postgrad Med J 2021; 98:e187-e188. [PMID: 33637638 DOI: 10.1136/postgradmedj-2021-139771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Xianzhi Meng
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Chenjun Hao
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hongtao Tan
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Bei Sun
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Dongbo Xue
- Department of General Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Hong Bo
- Department of Educational Affairs, First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
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