<p>Contribution to and Dilemmas of Undergraduate Medical Students in Combating Disease Outbreaks: COVID 19 and Previous Outbreaks</p>

Abstract

COVID 19 has brought several challenges for each individual, changing the world's perception of health-care professionals. People are hailing health-care professionals as heroes, worthy of praise and gratitude. However, the pandemic has overburdened the health-care system. In this situation, the undergraduate medical students are being used as a crucial part of the health-care team in various ways. Involvement of medical undergraduates in situations of natural disaster is not new. In fact, a review of history of previous natural disasters reveals that this has been normal every time health systems have been overburdened. In the present situation of COVID 19, these students have a crucial role to play in helping frontline workers combat the crisis. Though the students would like to render their services, they are in a state of dilemma, as their roles are not defined clearly and their training to combat the pandemic is inadequate, as it was in previous outbreaks. This highlights a need to introduce module-based training for medical graduates to contribute effectively in combating future outbreaks.

Potential of Volunteering in Formal and Informal Medical Education—A Theory-Driven Cross-Sectional Study with Example of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…In Poland, students who engaged in voluntary work in hospitals and other medical institutions could credit the clinical rotation they missed because of the pandemic, whereas the Italian government decided to graduate final-year students earlier than scheduled, so about 10,000 graduates could legally work with patients in clinics and retirement homes [ 15 ]. A similar situation was present in the US, where 13 medical schools also provided early graduation [ 16 ]. The decision to include students in the workforce to combat COVID-19 is not a new concept and was facilitated by previous experiences with pandemics and other disasters [ 16 ].…”

“…A similar situation was present in the US, where 13 medical schools also provided early graduation [ 16 ]. The decision to include students in the workforce to combat COVID-19 is not a new concept and was facilitated by previous experiences with pandemics and other disasters [ 16 ]. Meanwhile, in the study by Rosychuk et al [ 17 ], nearly 95% of respondents (students and staff) declared a willingness to volunteer in the case of a future pandemic influenza.…”

Comparing and Contrasting the Experiences of U.S. Medical Students During the COVID-19 and 1918 Influenza Pandemics

“…The answers to these questions are topics of active discussion and not foregone conclusions. 91 , 92 Many stakeholders, including some medical students, have advocated that medical students should have been allowed to contribute more to the COVID-19 clinical response, citing the assistance they can render and the unique learning experiences available during a pandemic. 93 , 94 Some European countries took this less risk-averse approach, drafting upper-level medical students to assist in their country’s pandemic response.…”

Medical student wellness in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic: a nationwide survey

“…Further, removing students from clinical experiences could hinder academic and personal growth. In previous emergency crises, including Hurricane Rita, the AIDS Epidemic, and the attack on September 11, 2001, US medical students assisted on the frontlines and learned valuable lessons regarding critical decision-making and emergency care [26,27]. However during the initial months of the pandemic, students could not participate in similar and irreplaceable learning opportunities, which may have been disappointing and contrary to their personal missions in medicine [28].…”