Medical Students’ Engagement in the Fight Against the COVID-19 Pandemic: Remote Monitoring of Home-Quarantined Patients and Vaccination Teams. Reflections on the Experience and the Learning Outcomes

Abstract

Multiple student initiatives were developed in the Medical School of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, under the guidance of the Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Practice, and Health Services Research, as an answer to the increasing needs of the Greek National Health System during the pandemic. In one group, students were responsible for the phone call communication with patients of certain areas to book an appointment for a rapid test, announce the results of the test, monitor the symptoms and the health condition of patients with mild COVID-19 and inform the GPs of the health centers. At around the same time, in another group, senior medical students were enlisted as volunteers, and they were distributed to seven vaccination centers in two different Health Districts of Northern Greece. The vaccination process was significantly facilitated by the support of students in the initial data collection and recording of the personal medical history of the incoming citizens. Supporting the medical staff to accelerate the process, helping to raise public awareness about vaccination, keeping in touch with clinical life and patients, and further training in vaccination and communication skills were cited as critical expectations by the volunteer students, which were largely met. Other schools could implement similar strategies of including medical students in community health projects and promote initiatives that support primary health care.

Keywords

• COVID-19
• COVID-19 Vaccines
• Undergraduate Medical Education