Tomorrow’s doctors, Today’s Volunteers: The Fight Against COVID-19

Becoming A Doctor, Current Medical Students

Tomorrow’s doctors, Today’s Volunteers: The Fight Against COVID-19

Published: 27 March 2020

By Gursh Hayer
@BecomingaDr Team

 

During this pandemic, we constantly hear that we are in ‘unprecedented times’ – this could not be more true. Having studied Global Health before studying medicine, learning about the spread of disease, epidemiology, management of outbreaks, it always felt like a slightly more abstract concept, but with the emergence of COVID-19 it has suddenly become very real. With global cases surpassing 500,000 and over 25,000 lives claimed, it is essential that we do everything in our power to save lives as the pandemic persists.

As medical students, we are so accustomed to constantly thinking ahead, meticulously planning our next steps and are kept remarkably busy by our intense curriculums. It would be fair to say that as medical students, we just don’t stop, and now that our medical degrees have been halted, we have more time than ever before and are eager to support the effort to tackle COVID-19. 

Despite having a strong intention to do something, it can be very difficult to navigate all of the opportunities and options available. This is where Becoming A Doctor can help – on Sunday 29th March at 6pm, we are running a twitter chat to help students do exactly this! Please join us during this hour using the following hashtags: #MedStudentCovid #BecomingaDr

These unprecedented times call for unprecedented solutions – here are a range of ways people can help depending on their circumstances: 

  • NHS volunteering scheme, there are 4 streams (community response, patient transport, community transport and check-in and chat) Link: GoodSAM
  • Health Care Assistant – many medical students have taken on this role before/still do shifts as HCAs
  • Return to your old job – often medical students, particularly graduate medics, are registered nurses, biomedical scientists, operating department practitioners etc 
  • Find a medical student group such as National Health Supporters to help with childcare, grocery shopping and much more 

If you are self isolating, under quarantine, have health conditions, or simply have exams to revise for then there is still a lot you can do! 

  • Keep studying and revising – guidance released by the Medical Schools Council stated that your first priority should be progressing onto the next stage of your course 
  • Keep up with the latest advice and updates, keep those around you updated and dispel any myths or break chains of misinformation 
  • If anyone you live with is a healthcare worker you can support them by helping with cooking, cleaning and talking to them about their day
  • Look after yourself and those around you – exercise, call family and friends, practice mindfulness

Hope to speak to some of you on the twitter event!

You can join using the hashtags:

#MedStudentCovid and #BecomingaDr  

Twitter link here.      Facebook event here

Feel free to email any questions or thoughts to gursh@becomingadr.org or outreach@becomingadr.org in advance of the chat on Sunday.

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Elliot

Elliot is a St George’s graduate currently working as an F1 Doctor in East London. As the first in his family to apply to university, Elliot is well aware of the barriers that can be faced in trying to get to medical school. He is passionate about widening access to medicine for underrepresented groups.
 
 He was the representative for St George’s on the BMA Medical Students Committee, and has done lots of work with local schools and colleges to raise awareness of medicine as a career, as well as working on admissions policies with the widening participation team St George’s. Elliot is part of the @BecomingaDr outreach team and National Health Careers Conference Team.