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Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Medical Students

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
5 views1 page

Impact of COVID-19 on Indian Medical Students

Uploaded by

jahnavimalineni
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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EFFECT OF THE CURRENT SITUATION IN INDIA WITH RESPECT TO THE PANDEMIC AND THE MEDICAL

FRATERNITY ON MEDICAL STUDENTS.


Jahnavi M*, Moorthy NS**
INTRODUCTION: Covid-19 has brought some very unprecedented situations. The pandemic in India
especially the second one has been very tough and challenging for students all over the country specifically
those in the medical field. Several articles and papers have been referred and the following research was
taken up to shed some light on the current situation in India and its effect on medical students.
OBJECTIVES: This study has the objectives to find out how the students feel about lack of proper learning
and working facilities especially during the pandemic. and how all of this is affecting their education and
mental health.
METHODS: A cross sectional survey questionnaire was designed focusing on each of the objectives, It
consists of of 23 questions of both descriptive and yes/no type. It was circulated among all medical
students.
RESULTS:
This study was carried out among 250 medical students, both male females, across several colleges in
Andhra Pradesh. It included students from all the years. Prior consent was taken from all the individuals.
Eighty percent of the respondents answered that they were affected mentally and physically during
pandemic. They pin pointed stress as the major factor for this. A lot of them felt very anxious and were
burdened by the loss of their family members. Some participants saw the uncertainties faced by their
families in regard to their employment, financial status and health status and this added to their stress.
Many of them felt uncomfortable with the online mode of teaching and the lack of clinical exposure. They
said that it made them lazy, made them loose interest in studies and addicted to social platforms. This had
a big toll on their studies and learning abilities. Only 10.7% could attend clinical [Link] of them felt
that the lack of clinical exposure had a very bad effect on their education. They thought separation of covid
and non covid wards would be better. Online case discussions and separate workshops should also be
encouraged.
But overall, they said that having online classes was better than having no classes at all. They said that it
helped them to at least stay connected to the syllabus and curriculum. They also said that better services
need to be implemented for better teaching and understanding.
CONCLUSION: The Covid-19 pandemic came as a shock to everyone around the world. Students across the
world faced several difficulties and medical students in India even more. Along with the pandemic they
also had to deal with several other things like change in the authority, implementation of new curriculum,
rules and exams, violence against doctors and no proper online learning facilities. This caused a lot of stress
and anxiety in the students which had an adverse effect on their mental and physical health. The fact is
even though the governing bodies are aware of this no proper measures are being taken and the concerns
of the students are being overlooked. A country like India has the resources to take measures but does not
have the will to do so. This needs to change immediately if it doesn’t want to lose all the brilliant minds
waiting for the proper environment to shine.

* 7th Semester student, MIMS Vizianagaram


** Professor & HOD, Department of Pharmacology, MIMS Vizianagaram

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The failure to implement adequate educational measures during the pandemic could result in a poorly-prepared medical workforce in India. Lapses in training and insufficient clinical experience might lead to long-term competency deficits, impacting patient care quality. Furthermore, the stress and dissatisfaction among current students could deter potential candidates from medical careers, affecting future workforce capacity and healthcare delivery .

The long-term implications of the pandemic on medical education in India could include a potential skill gap in the healthcare workforce due to insufficient clinical exposure during training. Continued stress and anxiety among medical students might lead to burnout, affecting their future professional performance. Additionally, the systemic failure to adapt effectively to online learning challenges may deter talented students from pursuing medical careers, impacting the quality and availability of healthcare professionals .

Medical students suggested improving online education by conducting online case discussions and separate workshops. They also emphasized the necessity of better online learning services for enhanced teaching and understanding, reflecting their experiences of decreased educational quality and engagement during the pandemic .

Online classes were considered beneficial by medical students despite challenges because they allowed students to stay connected to the syllabus and curriculum, ensuring continuation of education despite disruptions. This connection was seen as crucial to prevent academic regression and maintain educational progress during the pandemic .

Separating COVID and non-COVID wards could benefit the educational experience of medical students in India by allowing safer, more structured clinical training environments. This separation can facilitate continued hands-on practical learning essential for developing clinical skills, which were significantly hindered during the pandemic, reaffirming the need for physical presence and direct interaction in medical education .

Governing bodies in India did not take sufficient measures to address the concerns of medical students during the pandemic, despite being aware of the issues. The lack of action resulted in continued student stress and anxiety, highlighting a gap between resource capabilities and administrative will to implement effective solutions for enhancing online learning and clinical exposure .

Financial and health uncertainties reported by medical students during the pandemic contributed to significant stress and anxiety. Concerns over family employment and financial status compounded these effects, leading to a deterioration in mental health and an increased burden that negatively impacted their concentration and academic performance .

The main stressors for medical students in India during the COVID-19 pandemic included anxiety from the loss of family members, concerns over family employment, financial and health uncertainties, lack of clinical exposure, and discomfort with the online mode of education .

The lack of proper learning facilities during the pandemic had a detrimental impact on medical students in India by causing significant mental and physical stress. Many students expressed discomfort with online teaching methods, citing issues such as loss of interest in studies, laziness, and addiction to social media. The absence of clinical exposure further exacerbated the problem, as only 10.7% could attend clinical postings, which adversely affected their education and practical skills development .

The transition to online education impacted the medical curriculum in India by disrupting clinical training and limiting student engagement. Students felt the lack of clinical exposure was detrimental, with only a minority able to attend clinical postings. This led to reduced interest and engagement in their studies, compounded by inadequate online teaching methods. Despite this, online classes were viewed as a necessity to maintain connection with the curriculum, suggesting mixed effects on learning engagement .

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