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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

Authors

  • Angeliki Gardikioti MD. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6133-2557
  • Aikaterini Vasiliki Touriki MD. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1619-9953
  • Spyridon Graidis Sixth - Year Medical Student. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0356-850X
  • Aikaterini Antonia Mpourtzinakou Sixth - Year Medical Student. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6925-9059
  • Evangelia Savvidou Sixth - Year Medical Student Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7730-5978
  • Odysseas Lomvardeas Sixth - Year Medical Student. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece. https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4104-6796
  • Dimitra Foteini Pourtoulidou Sixth - Year Medical student. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5477-873X
  • Magda Gavana Primary Health Care Physician/ Honorary Lecturer in Epidemiology. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece.. https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5567-5548
  • Emmanouil Smyrnakis Primary Health Care Physician/ Assistant Professor in Primary Health Care – Medical Education. Aristotle University of Thessaloniki/ Medical School/ Laboratory of Primary Health Care, General Medicine and Health Research Services, Thessaloniki, Greece. https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9772-4595

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2022.1307

Keywords:

COVID-19 , COVID-19 Vaccines, Undergraduate Medical Education

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.

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References

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World Health Organization. Role of primary care in the COVID-19 response Interim guidance. Available from: https://apps.who.int/iris/bitstream/handle/10665/331921/Primary-care-COVID-19-eng.pdf?sequence=1%26isAllowed=y. Last updated Mar 26, 2020; cited May 05, 2022.

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Published

2022-05-16 — Updated on 2022-09-28

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How to Cite

Gardikioti, A., Touriki, A. V., Graidis, S. ., Mpourtzinakou, A. A., Savvidou, E., Lomvardeas, O., Pourtoulidou, D. F., Gavana, M., & Smyrnakis, E. (2022). 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. International Journal of Medical Students, 10(3), 324–327. https://doi.org/10.5195/ijms.2022.1307

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 3 (2022)

Section

Experience

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Copyright (c) 2022 Angeliki Gardikioti, Aikaterini Vasiliki Touriki, Spyridon Graidis, Aikaterini Antonia Mpourtzinakou, Evangelia Savvidou, Odysseas Lomvardeas, Dimitra Foteini Poutroulidou, Magda Gavana, Emmanouil Smyrnakis

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