The Well-being of undergraduate medical students in COVID-19 pandemic; mixed method design

Abstract

Introduction and Aim: The COVID-19 pandemic had many effects on the undergraduate medical education. The aim of our study was to determine the well-being of undergraduate medical students during pandemic, and to make future implications for institutions to support their medical students’ well-being. Methods: This is a mixed-method study. The population of the research consists of from 1st to 5th year medical students. The research process was carried out in 3 steps, which are respectively: ‘focus group interviews’ via Zoom with a group of 6-8 volunteer students from each year; the formation of ‘Student Information Form’ based on content analysis of focus group interviews; online application of ‘Student Information Form (SIF)’ and ‘Wellness Star Scale (WSS)’ to volunteer students. Results: The mean scores of the WSS sub-dimensions were: Intellectual = 8.5 (¯X_ND); Spiritual = 7.5 (¯X_ND); Physical = 5.8 (¯X_ND); Social = 7.7 (¯X_ND); Emotional = 6.6 (¯X_ND). A significant difference in favor of positive emotions was observed between the well-being spiritual score average of the students in the negative emotions group and the positive emotions group [p < 0.05]. A significant difference was found in favor of men between the female and male students’ well-being intellectual point average [p < 0.05]. The themes of emotions, learning process, well-being, difficulties and problems, achievements, coping methods, career planning, and suggestions emerged from qualitative data. Conclusion: Among the ways of coping with the pandemic, healthy lifestyle behaviors such as nutrition and physical activity seem to come to the fore. Among the difficulties brought by the pandemic, “health concerns” were more due to the ignorance/inadequacy of preventive and therapeutic health services, especially in the early stages of the pandemic, and continued due to uncertainties after vaccination. Medical faculties should offer solutions that will ensure the continuity of social interaction and the preservation of the learning climate, which is interrupted in pandemic and similar situations.