The COVIDReady2 study is looking at the medical education of those who did and did not volunteer to work in a clinical capacity during the pandemic, and the issues volunteers and non-volunteers faced.
COVID-19 led to global disruption of healthcare and many students volunteered to provide clinical support. Volunteering to work was a unique medical education opportunity; however, it is unknown whether this was a positive learning experience.
The COVIDReady2 study is a national cross sectional study of all medical students who were enrolled at UK medical schools at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. We will compare opinions of those who did and did not volunteer to determine the educational benefit and issues they faced. We will use thematic analysis to identify themes in qualitative responses, in addition to quantitative analysis.
The primary outcome is to explore the effect of volunteering during the pandemic on medical education in comparison to those who did not volunteer.
To identify:
Whether students would be willing to assume similar roles in a non-pandemic setting
If students found the experience more or less beneficial than traditional hospital placements and reasons for this
What the perceived benefits and disadvantages of volunteering were
Difference in perceived preparedness between students who did and did not volunteer for FY1 and next academic year
To explore:
Issues associated with volunteering, including safety issues
Issues with role and competence
We anticipate this study will help identify volunteer structures that have been beneficial for students, so that similar infrastructures can be used in the future; and help inform the structure of non-pandemic clinical placements going forward.
Protocol Development
Collaborator Registration
Ethical Approval
Data Collection
Data Analysis
Manuscript Preparation
Submission to Journal
Acceptance
Publication - https://doi.org/10.1080/0142159x.2023.2184235
Primary Investigator: Rachel Allan
Steering committee: Matthew Byrne, James Ashcroft, Laith Alexander, Jonathan Wan, Anna Harvey, Andrew Clelland, Nick Schindler, Megan Brown, Rachel Allan
Distribution committee: Andrew Clelland, Florence Kinder, Siena Hayes, Aqua Asif, Jasper Mogg
The study is conducted by the University of Oxford and endorsed by:
UK Medical Schools Council
Royal College of Surgeons of England
Royal Society of Medicine Student Members Group
InciSioN UK
ADAPT Consortium
