“Every day that I stay at home, it's another day blaming myself for not being at #Frontline”–Understanding medical students' sacrifices during COVID-19 Pandemic

AbstractCOVID-19 struck the world and stretched the healthcare system and professionals. Medical students engaged in the pandemic effort, making personal and professional sacrifices. However, the impact of these sacrifices on students` professional development is still unknown. We applied constructivist grounded theory to individual audio diaries (total time  = 5h38 min) and interviews (total time = 11h57min) performed with 18 last-year medical students during the first wave of COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil. The perspective of making sacrifices caused initial emotional distress in medical students, followed by a negotiation process revolving arou nd three themes: predisposition to sacrifice, sense of competence, and sense of belonging. This negotiation process led to three response patterns: Pattern A: “No sense of duty”–the sacrifice was perceived as meaningless, and students showed intense anger and a desire to flee; Pattern B: “Se nse of duty with hesitation to act”–the sacrifice was acknowledged as legitime, but students felt unprepared to contribute, leading to feelings of frustration and shame; and, Pattern C: “Sense of duty with readiness to act”–the engagement with the sacrifice was perceived as an opportunity to grow as a doctor, leading to fulfillment and proudness. Students ready to engage with the COVID-19 effort experienced identity consonance, reinforcing their professional identities. Students who felt incompetent or found the sacrifice...
Source: Advances in Health Sciences Education - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: research