Medical students’ participation in the Volunteering Program during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study about motivation and the development of new competencies

BMC Medical Education

Matheus Belloni Torsani¹  Patricia Zen Tempski¹  Lucas Albuquerque Chinelatto¹  Bruna Chacon Mikahil¹  Milton A. Martins¹  Marina Alves Martins Siqueira¹  Gustavo Rosa Gameiro¹ 

[1] Center for Development of Medical Education, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, Av Dr Arnaldo, 455 Sala 2349, ZIP code 01246-903, São Paulo, SP, Brazil;

关键词: Volunteering;    Medical Students;    COVID-19;    Motivation;    Leadership;    Curriculum;   

DOI  :  10.1186/s12909-022-03147-7

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundConsidering evidence on competency-based curricula and the benefits of volunteering, this study highlights innovative ideas to improve medical education during the COVID-19 pandemic. We investigated the motivations and perceptions of competencies developed as leadership and management skills in medical students who joined the COVID-19 Volunteering Program in a Brazilian medical school.MethodsWe performed a cross-sectional, qualitative study involving medical students from the University of São Paulo, Brazil. They were invited to participate in an institutional Volunteering Program during the pandemic and filled out online application forms, including sociodemographic fields and two open-ended questions about their motivation to volunteer and perceptions of their own competencies. At the end of the program, students who were involved in management-related activities were also invited to participate in focus group interviews to track their perceptions about volunteering in this area. Data were submitted to descriptive and content analysis methods. All participants provided informed consent with electronic signatures.ResultsA total of 286 medical students subscribed to the Volunteering Program: 171 (60%) were men, 152 (53%) were enrolled in their 5th year of medical school, and 158 (55%) were 23-25 years old. One hundred and twelve (44%) students reported that they were motivated by altruistic reasons, 95 (37%) reported duty and 47 (19%) prioritized academic interests. Concerning CanMEDS competencies, 91 (36%) students’ responses matched the Scholar component, followed by 51 (20%) with Collaborator, 49 (20%) with Professional, 32 (13%) with Communicator, 17 (7%) with Leader and 11 (4%) with Health Advocate.In focus groups, students reported the importance of management and leadership skills as a curricular component, motivations to volunteer, and acquired skills from volunteering in management and leadership-related activities, thereby indicating the development of resilient attitudes.ConclusionsStudents who participated in the School of Medicine of University of Sao Paulo (FMUSP) Volunteering Program reported being motivated to help others (altruistic reasons) and to serve society as future health professionals (duty). Knowledge and work-related competencies prevailed over leadership or soft skills, emphasizing the importance of including such activities in the curriculum. Participating in management-related activities could help develop a more resilient attitude toward medical training. Volunteering programs offer students opportunities to develop competencies essential for their roles as future health professionals. Thus, we should think about including such activities in the curricular structure.

【 授权许可】

CC BY