Virginia Research Day 2022

Medical Student Research Educational

01 Testimonials From Multinational Medical School Students In The Face Of The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Global Health Approach

Alexandra C. Skoczek, MPH, OMS II; Patrick W. Ruane, OMS II Cassidy A. Onley, OMS II; Torhiana Haydel, MHA, OMS II; Maria V. Ortega, OMS II Alexis M. Stoner, PhD, MPH; H. Dean Sutphin, PhD

VCOM Virginia

to policies and initiatives. While it was not a major theme expressed, the US responses also contained more criticism of the political response to COVID-19. The current study was limited by responses and student participation each week. Future studies aimed at analyzing specific COVID-19 policies around the world and the extent of the pandemic’s impact on mental health may provide greater insight into medical students' beliefs, attitudes, and well-being which have been challenged over the last year. Regardless, it must be acknowledged that the medical school experience has changed for both international and the United States medical students and affected them not only academically but mentally, socially, and financially.

Health and Environment course were eligible to participate in the study. Participants completed a weekly, non-graded journaling assignment for 6 weeks that asked open-ended questions about personal beliefs and knowledge, policies and initiatives, global policies and initiatives, and social media presentations. A qualitative thematic analysis was then performed. International medical students believed that their country's COVID-19 response contained more restrictions than the global response, with the theme being expressed in 17% compared to 1.7% of US responses containing the theme. International students were also more likely to express views on negative mental health impacts as well as economic impacts. The theme “mental health impact” was present in 27.3% of international responses and included responses such as: "My anxiety and panic have risen to such levels that it is hard for me to tolerate casual touch and proximity. I don't remember the last time I hugged a friend." The US responses showed less of a mental health impact and expressed stronger negative views on how COVID-19 was handled in regard

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, countries, and governments around the world have implemented different measures and guidelines for the containment and mitigation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In addition to implemented policies and initiatives, social media and personal beliefs have affected medical students’ social, emotional, financial, and academic success both domestically and internationally. As osteopathic medical students focused on the interconnectedness of the mind, body, and spirit, we questioned the impact of the pandemic and global responses on the beliefs and psychological well-being of medical students around the world. Due to differences in global response and media portrayal it was hypothesized that, international medical students in countries such as El Salvador, Honduras, and the Dominican Republic will be impacted differently regarding COVID-19 policy strictness, social and mental health, financial and academic stability, and overall attitude towards the pandemic than the US medical students. In this prospective qualitative study, United States and international medical students enrolled in the Global Seminar for

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