55 days into the lockdown while being a witness to the horrors of Coronavirus the students were asked to fill a questionnaire consisting of 22 questions. The questionnaire was sent to 385 students out of which 294 responded making a response rate of 76.36%. With a confidence interval of 95%, the confidence interval (CI) for this survey is ± 2.78.
The online questionnaire was filled by students of MBBS Batch-2016 and Batch-2017. Among the respondents, 183 (62.2%) were highly motivated to work in hospitals in time of COVID-19 pandemic. 101(34.4%) were neutral of the situation and 10(3.4%) had strong hesitation to work in these times (refer table-1). Work expectations of the students were mainly to assist clinicians (N = 171).
Table 1
Response Analysis of the opinion of students to work in the hospital during the time of COVID-19 Pandemic.
Survey question and response | Frequency (%) |
Motivation to work in hospital | |
Highly motivated Neutral Not interested | 62.2% 34.4% 3.4% |
Type of work expected in hospital | |
Assisting clinicians Spreading awareness Making notes | 58.2% 33.7% 8.2% |
Acquired necessary skills to work in hospitals | |
Yes No | 32.3% 67.7% |
Association between various aspects. |
An analysis of the relationship between the motivation to work in hospitals at the time of pandemic and being a better doctor in future was done (refer fig.-1). It was established that being a better doctor was a great motivation to work (p-value = 0.000109).
The students were hesitant to work in hospitals as a full-time worker, as 199(67.7%) of them do not think they have acquired the necessary skills to work in the hospitals. 187(63.6%) respondents do not have basic procedural skills required in the medical profession like intramuscular/ intravenous injections, Foley’s catheterization, Ryle’s tube placement, venesection etc. This can be thought of as a reason for the manifestation of performance anxiety while doing clinical procedures in hospitals. About 98(33.3%) said they experienced anxiety while performing procedures and 120(40.8%) said maybe they could be suffering from this problem. Only 76(25.9%) were confident while doing the procedures (refer fig.-2).
When assessed about the knowledge of emergency medicine, triage and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) 118(40.1%) were confident of their skills and the majority of them i.e. 176(59.9%) students didn’t know the basic skills. Basics of advanced triage including intubation and ventilation were known to only 48(16.3%) respondents while 246(83.7%) didn’t. Majority of students i.e. 238 (80.95%) had sufficient knowledge of the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and methods of prevention of transmissions.
Table 2
Fears of medical students to work in hospitals during COVID-19 Pandemic
Survey question and response | Frequency (%) |
Fear of contracting the disease in the hospital | |
Yes No | 68.7% 31.3% |
Fearful of infecting loved ones while working in the hospital | |
Yes No | 91.2% 8.8% |
Fearful in absence of PPE kits | |
Yes No Maybe | 65.6% 12.9% 21.4% |
Parents will allow working in the hospital during this pandemic | |
Yes No | 51.7% 48.3% |
If not what will you do about work | |
Follow your conscience Follow your parents instructions | 74.8% 25.2% |
Fear of the disease it high (Refer Table-2). About 202(68.7%) students have fear of contracting the disease while working in the hospitals and 268(91.2%) are fearful of infecting their loved ones due to their work in the hospital during COVID-19 pandemic. The fear may get accentuated by the non-availability of personal protection equipment (PPE) kits among 193(65.6%), 63(21.4%) doubtful of working in hospitals and only 38(12.9%) said they will still work in the hospitals. When asked will their parents allow them to work in hospitals during this pandemic 152(51.7%) were sure their parents will let them go and help fight the disease while 142(48.3%) said their parents won't allow them to work. As many as 220(74.8%) motivated to attend the call of duty even if their parents’ were against them to work in the hospital and 74(25.2%) said they will listen to their parents instructions.
As Corona is a highly contagious disease so we asked the students will they choose to take history, examinations, provisional diagnosis and vital monitoring of Non- respiratory/ Non-Covid patients, 242(82.3%) said yes and 52(17.7%) said no for same. According to 149(50.7%) students, stress on frontline doctors will be eased if they join the workforce while 110(37.4%) were not sure about this. There will be no effect on the stress according to 35(11.9%) of the respondents.
Corona is a great learning opportunity which cannot be simulated in the classes. Students 259(88.1%) feel that they can learn more from this pandemic by being out there than staying back at home. Around 277(94.2%) student feels working in hospitals today will make them a better doctor in future (Refer fig.-3).
The widespread appreciation of health workers worldwide was motivating according to 261(88.8%) students and this was not agreed upon by 33(11.2%) participants (Refer fig.-4). Among the respondents, 228(77.6%) students felt discouraged by attacks on doctors in hospitals and during field testing while 66(22.4%) said this was not the case for them.
Another concern area for the students in this time of pandemics is their studies. Their future may be jeopardized and they may graduate late according to 139(47.3%), 88(29.9%) said it could be a possibility and 67(22.8%) felt that this won’t be the case. The academics will be affected by their services in hospitals was agreed upon by 99(33.7%) and refuted by 195(66.3%). While 77(26.2%) students said they would work without any monetary benefits, 125(42.5%) wanted stipend and 92(31.3%) want a letter of appreciation in return for services provided by them in the hospital.