Why should medical students (not) be recruited to care for patients with COVID-19?
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(2020) 20:342
COMMENTARY
Open Access
Why should medical students (not) be recruited to care for patients with COVID-19? Ivan Bank1 and Marjo Wijnen-Meijer2*
Abstract Worldwide it is being discussed whether medical students might be of help during the present COVID-19 epidemic. Although this question is probably a legitimate one, one should however discuss this thoroughly before deciding whether medical students are to be included in this kind of medical care on a larger scale. Various arguments should be weighted, and potential tasks should be chosen carefully. This period could however be also an opportunity for medical students to learn things they would probably never learn about. Nevertheless, medical students have a deficit concerning knowledge about epidemics, and they are also not really well skilled in many hygiene measures. Furthermore, some of the known medical students’ behaviour could be a risk factor for further spread of the virus as well. Then, young adults are at risk of getting infected themselves. Last but not least, medical students in general are under a great deal of pressure from their studies which could lead to the development of anxiety and other mental disorders. One could only speculate on the effects of this epidemic on their further mental well-being. Therefore, medical students participating in direct care of patients with COVID-19 should first be trained well, and then properly supervised at all times. Only then it might be a really useful and exceptional experience, for healthcare, medical schools as well as for society.
Background Ever since the epidemic caused by COVID-19 has begun, governments are increasingly taking actions in order to try to slow down the spread of the infection, save as much as possible lives, and buy crucial time for either potential cure, healthcare capacity and/or production of a vaccine. Professionals involved in direct or indirect healthcare are doing everything within their bounds of possibilities to treat or facilitate patients. However, there is possibly coming a point in time when medical demand will outpace healthcare capacity, and that nonprofessionals will have to be included into healthcare tasks as well. Then, not only the army or retired medical professionals are or will be needed to be recruited for healthcare purposes, but for example also others like medical students. * Correspondence: [email protected] 2 Technical University of Munich, School of Medicine, TUM Medical Education Center, Ismaninger Straße 22, 81675 Munich, Germany Full list of author information is available at the end of the article
This question was raised also by doctor Stokes, wondering if there is a plan in place for the involvement of senior medical students into emergency relief efforts [1]. Is this a feasible option? Time will tell. But, if we are to recruit medical students for healthcare purposes in time of crisis, which aspects should be taken into account? Let us try to list some issues concerning medical schools, medical students’ attitudes and behavi
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