Background
COVID-19 pandemic is an opportune time to identify the value-added roles of medical students to utilize the services of this potential workforce effectively in the health-care system. Hence, this study assessed medical students’ perception and willingness to assist in COVID-19 health sector preparedness and response via value-added roles in Sri Lanka.
Methods
A cross-sectional online survey was conducted among all medical students studying in six batches of the Faculty of Medicine and Allied Sciences (FMAS), Rajarata University of Sri Lanka (RUSL). A Google form prepared in English with statements about individual perception of medical students’ role and their willingness to assist in the COVID-19 health sector response via value-added roles was used to collect data.
Results
Out of 856 (79.6%) study participants, the majority was females (n=601, 70.2%). The majority (n=804, 93.9%) reported that they have a responsibility to contribute to the COVID-19 health sector response in the country. There was a statistically significant difference in medical students’ perceived level of clinical knowledge and clinical skills to assist in COVID-19 health sector response with advancing academic year (p<0.001). The commonly identified value-added roles were developing (n=770, 89.9%) and disseminating (n=744, 86.9%) health education messages, and field contact tracing activities (n=653, 76.3%). Other value-added roles were assisting the curative health sector in COVID-19 patient management (n=380, 44.4%) and other non-COVID-19 patient management (n=463, 54.1%).
Conclusions
Medical students are mostly willing to be engaged in the preventive health sector value-added roles and to a lesser extent in the curative health sector value-added roles during the COVID-19 outbreak. However, the medical educators need to clearly define the value-added roles and provide adequate training and supervision for medical students, from the first year to the final year, to combine learning with meaningful contributions to patient care and health-care system during the COVID-19 pandemic.