Motivations for Volunteering among Future Healthcare Professionals during the COVID-19 Epidemic: A Case Study from Poland

Abstract Background Ever since the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) stuck health care systems in many countries have been seriously burdened. Simultaneously, thousands of medical students across Europe have volunteered to support the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. Objectives The paper aims to analyse the motivations for the volunteering among future healthcare professionals in times of a coronavirus outbreak. Material and methods The study was conducted among 311 students of Poznan University of Medical Sciences, Poland, who answered questions regarding the reasons they became involved in voluntary service during the pandemic. Answers were used to categorize respondents’ motivations for their voluntary service in different functions. Results While four functions served by volunteering during the coronavirus pandemic have been identified: values, enhancement, career and social, students were mainly motivated by altruistic reasons: the ideal of doing good, helping others and giving something back to the community. Moreover, many believed that as future health professionals it was their duty to engage, whatever the risk. Gender and religiosity were the key factors conditioning students’ motivations. Conclusions While volunteering has served many purposes during the coronavirus pandemic, value-based motivations were the primary force behind students’ engagement. At the same time, students’ religiosity seems the key factor that determined their motivations.