Returning to clinics amidst COVID‐19: A student response to Compton et al

Editor – As UK‐based medical students, we read with great interest the article by Compton et al ¹ exploring the various factors influencing students’ motivation to return to clinical practice amidst the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) pandemic.

Despite the study exploring several convincing factors in explaining the hesitance of medical students in returning to clinical placement, social vulnerability is often overlooked when explaining this reluctance. Many black and minority ethnic (BME) groups, who experience higher rates of mortality and live in multi‐generational households, may risk the health of their own family members by returning to placement prematurely or without adequate protection. ² , ³ From our perspective as BME students, this leaves us at a difficult juncture; whereas we are keen to resume training to improve our clinical competence, equally, we are understandably apprehensive regarding potentially compromising both the safety of our communities and further aiding the transmission of COVID‐19. Considering the importance of social vulnerability and its impact on medical student decision making in this context, assessing the impact of this prior to the resumption of clinical training would be valuable.

Although the aforementioned study utilises a methodical questionnaire, which generally allows for comprehensive statistical analysis, it may have been useful to incorporate other qualitative metrics into the methodology. Given the disproportionate impacts of this COVID‐19 pandemic, ² our own discussions with the medical student body have presented varying viewpoints. The spectrum of responses included students returning under conditions as simple as the provision of adequate personal protective equipment (PPE), to more intermediate solutions (eg, being provided with student accommodation to isolate from vulnerable family members), and finally long‐term strategies such as the availability of a vaccine. ⁴ Thus, incorporating qualitative student responses into this study, such as essay‐based answers, may have better elucidated the push and pull factors motivating student return.

As many medical students begin to return to the clinical setting, it is of the utmost relevance to consult the student voice in order to ensure the next generation of the health workforce can learn in a safe and practical environment. ⁵ We are delighted to see novel research emerging from this field and hope any resumption of clinical training is carried out in an equitable and safe manner.