INTERVIEW: Caught in the cross-fire, the life of a med student during the pandemic

What has it been like for our students preparing for dispatch into what seems like a warzone.. the hospital wards of the world post COVID-19. I sat down (virtually in true COVID fashion) with a good friend of mine studying medicine in her fourth year at Barts University London. 

*In addition to what she has shared with me I have read from student voices all of the country to get a better picture. Here’s what ‘i’ve found.

Second nature to every medical student, are hospital placements. These are a key right of passage and a fundamental component of any med course. 

NHS wards have been coded RED, AMBER and GREEN during the pandemic. RED says COVID ward!! AMBER labels a ward that may or may not be contaminated. GREEN is a COVID-safe zone.. as you can imagine not many of those exist. 

And so where do the med students go? Unpaid, underprepared and anxious. Many return home where they still live with family, siblings, parents and grandparents. Many are vulnerable themselves. 

If they are expected to face similar burdens and risks to NHS doctors and nurses, then one would expect they are being prioritised in the same for the vaccines.

Well, luckily some institutions have been well organised, but as often has been the case in this pandemic, the distribution of resources has been disorderly and inconsistent.

Positively, there has been a lot of confidence in the availability of the correct PPE for students at all times.

The predicament remains that these placements are unavoidable and taxing.

With most specialists redeployed, specialists wards repurposed and converted to full or partial COVID wards or ICU’s , providing specific types of training and exposure for med students is simply no longer possible to the same extent. 

This makes most placements unfortunately shorter, generic and unproductive. Most students are spending long days in tough, high pressure environments. Their physical and also their mental health is put at substantial risk with arguably little reward. 

Unfortunately ,there is no “back-out” clause , the only escape route is straight through this wall of fire or even to take a year break from the course, delaying your graduation by a year. Most students can’t afford that privilege.

With the whole sector under a new kind of pressure, much teaching has been paused or delayed leaving more weight on students having to undertake massive amounts of independent study. This adds constant pressure on the already strenuous workload.

In ways of a silver lining, having seen and stood along the frontline in the midst of a pandemic, some may say this generation of med students will be prepared for anything. 

To my surprise, in spite of the chaos and the extra challenges, the overall feeling is that of stoic strength. Our med students remain ready and wiling to take on the promiscuous future of healthcare as they had always intended. 

The resilience and strength demonstrated by our healthcare staff, although inspiring, I feel only highlights how much they must endure.

Let me know your thoughts?