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How are Medical Students Dealing With Omicron?

Medical school is tough for everyone. However, the last few cohorts of medical students have had it harder than most. The outbreak of COVID-19 forced many of them to deal with the kind of pressure that would shake experienced physicians. Moreover, lockdowns and other measures meant some parts of their course were put on hold, adding even more time to what is already a very long and hard journey. Thankfully, the recent news concerning the Omicron variant suggests a way out of the pandemic. Still, those on the front line have a rough few months ahead. What's more, the fallout of the last few years has raised new challenges and opportunities for medical students. So here's a news round-up of how medical students are dealing with Omicron...

Sep 6, 2023
  • International News
How are Medical Students Dealing With Omicron?

Learning on the frontline

The COVID-19 pandemic has been a baptism of fire for medical students. Abbi Bow, a second-year medical student at the University of Bristol, started her first hospital placement during the first waves of the outbreak. She was only 19-years-old. "It's a young age to see and work with people on the edge of life," says Abbi. "A lot of the patients I looked after didn't make it. I remember their names and faces. I don't know if that will ever leave me. "However, despite so much trauma early in her career, Abbi believes the experience will help her become a stronger person and a better doctor. "After I become a doctor, I will have already been exposed to so much," adds Abbi. "Learning how to cope with this now will be a benefit in the long term.

Inspiring the next generation of caregivers

In his final year, Luke Ottewell, a 22-year-old medical student, is on a placement at Gloucestershire Royal hospital in the UK. Like the rest of his classmates, Luke has to balance his intense revision with shifts at the hospital. His day starts at 6:30 am and he doesn't stop until after 10 pm Many people would buckle under such pressure. Not Luke. Instead, he's motivated by his desire to help people when they need it the most. "It's actually been easier to get out of bed in the morning because of the desire to help out during a national emergency," says Luke. "It's hard work, and there have been some tough moments. But this is what I signed up for. This is why I wanted to be a doctor."

Pausing your studies

For some students, the trauma of training during a pandemic has been overwhelming. As such, many have paused studies to take care of their own mental and physical wellbeing. It's nothing to be ashamed or embarrassed about. Instead, as Andrew Blythe, a part-time GP, explains, it displays the kind of maturity modern medical students need. "There was a real burnout culture when I was training," says Andrew. "You took a sort of twisted pride in running yourself into the ground. We even boasted about how little sleep we had. That's not the case anymore. Doctors need to look after themselves, and seeing so much death early in your career is profound. Taking a pause gives trainee doctors some time to process and then come back even stronger."

Medical students willing to put themselves at risk

The pandemic has affected the majority of trainee doctors and medical professionals in the US. In fact, 74.7% of surveyed medical students agreed the pandemic had disrupted their education. They also reported COVID had serious effects on their stress and anxiety levels, with 84.1% of respondents saying they experienced bouts of anxiety or stress within the last week. Patient welfare was cited as a major concern, followed by worries pandemic restrictions were interfering with students' ability to develop skills needed to prepare for residency. However, none of this would stop the aspiring doctors from helping out if given the opportunity. An overwhelming majority (almost 90%) said they would risk a COVID-19 infection if it meant they could work or train in a clinical setting.

The pressure to volunteer

In the UK, thousands of medical students signed up as volunteers during the pandemic. Many are still continuing in these roles, gaining extra caregiving experience. This has left some students who can't volunteer feeling anxious. They're worried about being left behind or judged for not signing up. So to put their mind at ease and clear up any misconceptions, the General Medical Council released the following statement:

"We encourage, but do not require, medical students who feel able to assist to take up voluntary or paid roles working with their medical schools and healthcare partners. Students must be properly supported by employers and students must not be expected to exceed their competencies. The current priority is to provide mechanisms for students to achieve the required Outcomes in order to be able to graduate."

How the pandemic is changing medical education

Fighting COVID requires an unprecedented amount of cooperation between public health care providers, government agencies, and private interests. This new way of working has provided new insights into how we can manage other public health challenges, such as the US opioid crisis or ongoing health care disparities. It also suggests medical training will become more holistic, placing an even stronger emphasis on collaboration. "The pandemic strengthened the partnership between health care delivery systems and public health professionals,” Dr. Lucey said. "And this needs to continue. It’s not just doctors operating alone. It’s not just a cardiologist and a basic science investigator working alone. It requires everyone—that means doctors, nurses, public health experts, and policy experts. We need everyone on board if we want to solve the big problems."

Medical training will become more dynamic

In her JAMA Viewpoint essay, Dr. Lucey explains how the rapidly changing nature of the pandemic and the constant flow of fresh information created a more dynamic mindset within the medical community. It had to be light on its feet and ready to adapt at any moment. Dr. Lucey believes this signals a major shift in how we think about medicine and train doctors. "The pandemic cemented a shift to focusing on the role of the physician as someone who is always learning and taking on new research, rather than someone who has memorized an existing body of knowledge," says Dr. Lucey. " This new approach creates physicians who are problem-solvers capable of addressing both enduring and emerging threats to health.”

Good news has been a rare thing during the pandemic, but these stories give us hope; they show that this generation of medical students is ready and qualified to take on COVID and any other future public health challenges.

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Medical Studies
Ashley Murphy

Author

After graduating with a degree in English literature and creative writing, Ashley worked as a bartender, insurance broker, and teacher. He became a full-time freelance writer in 2016. He lives and writes in Manchester, England.

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