Reflection on the response of healthcare professionals to the COVID-19 pandemic-preclinical students identify what their profession is about
Abstract
Background & Objective: Medical professionalism and identity formation are typically learned through hands-on medical training and practice. But during the early COVID–19 pandemic, medical students were displaced from campus. However, they could engage with the characteristics of the profession by critically observing the response of healthcare professionals to the COVID–19 pandemic through news, such other means. and personal experience. The purpose of this study was to explore if preclinical students could discern the core values of their profession in such unusual circumstances. Material & Methods: The qualitative study, content analysis based on the principles of grounded theory, was conducted from October 2020 – January 2021, among the preclinical students of a medical college in India. After an online sensitization, they were asked to write reflection notes. The reflection notes of all 28 respondents were analysed thematically using QDA Miner Lite 2.0.5. Results: There were 28 respondents. An exhaustive number of 15 themes emerged from the analysis of their reflection notes that encompassed various aspects of the medical profession – ranging from good moral character attributes of a healthcare professional to hazards of the profession to the students taking pride in being associated with it. What is identified by a student as being important, may be expected to be learned better by them. Therefore, we may expect these students to have learned about the attributes of medical professionalism and identity formation, which they had identified through reflection, more meaningfully when they joined back Conclusion: Even while off campus, students likely continued to learn about their profession. It is reasonable to expect they may gain a deep understanding of their profession upon resuming their training on campus.
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Re lec ion on he esponse o heal hca e p o essionals o he
COVID-19 pandemic p eclinical s uden s iden i y wha hei
p o ession is abou
P e na Aga wal*1, Dalia A Biswas2
1Depa men o Physiology, Go e nmen Ins i u e o Medical Sciences, G ea e Noida 201310, Gau am Buddha Naga , U a P adesh, India.
2Depa men o Physiology, Jawaha lal Neh u Medical College, Da a Meghe Ins i u e o Highe Educa ion & Resea ch (DU), Sawangi (Meghe)
442107, Wa dha, Maha ash a, India
A icle in o Abs ac
In oduc ion
Du ing he COVID-19 pandemic [1], heal hca e
p o essionals demons a ed exempla y dedica ion in
pa ien ca e, esea ch, and adminis a ion, despi e acing
signi ican isks as on line wo ke s [2, 3]. Thei e o s,
which included ensu ing equi able access o heal hca e
esou ces and p o iding ca e o pa ien s wi h a highly
con agious disease, highligh ed he essence o medical
p o essionalism [4]. This pe iod o c isis o e ed
p o ound insigh s in o he challenges and alues inhe en
in heal hca e, p omp ing e lec ion on he esponsibili ies
o medical p o essionals and in luencing medical
educa ion and p ac ice [5].
P eclinical s uden s, hough shielded om di ec hospi al
in ol emen o minimize exposu e, wi nessed he
he oism o heal hca e wo ke s h ough media and
pe sonal expe iences. This exposu e likely in luenced
hei p o essional iden i y, a concep ha e ol es h ough
aining and inco po a es pe sonal, p o essional, and
social dimensions. S uden s abso b hese aspec s no only
om explici cu icula eachings bu also h ough he
Aga wal e al. J Med Edu De . 2025; 18(1): 76-86 Jou nal o Medical Educa ion De elopmen
Backg ound & Objec i e: Medical p o essionalism and iden i y o ma ion a e ypically
lea ned h ough hands-on medical aining and p ac ice. Bu du ing he ea ly COVID–19
pandemic, medical s uden s we e displaced om campus. Howe e , hey could engage wi h he
cha ac e is ics o he p o ession by c i ically obse ing he esponse o heal hca e p o essionals
o he COVID–19 pandemic h ough news, such o he means. and pe sonal expe ience. The
pu pose o his s udy was o explo e i p eclinical s uden s could disce n he co e alues o hei
p o ession in such unusual ci cums ances.
Ma e ials & Me hods: The quali a i e s udy, con en analysis based on he p inciples o
g ounded heo y, was conduc ed om Oc obe 2020 – Janua y 2021, among he p eclinical
s uden s o a medical college in India. A e an online sensi iza ion, hey we e asked o w i e
e lec ion no es. The e lec ion no es o all 28 esponden s we e analysed hema ically using
QDA Mine Li e 2.0.5.
Resul s: The e we e 28 esponden s. An exhaus i e numbe o 15 hemes eme ged om he
analysis o hei e lec ion no es ha encompassed a ious aspec s o he medical p o ession –
anging om good mo al cha ac e a ibu es o a heal hca e p o essional o haza ds o he
p o ession o he s uden s aking p ide in being associa ed wi h i . Wha is iden i ied by a s uden
as being impo an , may be expec ed o be lea ned be e by hem. The e o e, we may expec
hese s uden s o ha e lea ned abou he a ibu es o medical p o essionalism and iden i y
o ma ion, which hey had iden i ied h ough e lec ion, mo e meaning ully when hey joined
back
Conclusion: E en while o campus, s uden s likely con inued o lea n abou hei p o ession.
I is easonable o expec hey may gain a deep unde s anding o hei p o ession upon esuming
hei aining on campus.
Keywo ds: Heal h p o ession, medical p o essionalism, p o essional iden i y o ma ion,
e lec i e hinking, pandemic
*Co esponding au ho :
P e na Aga wal, Depa men o
Physiology, Go e nmen Ins i u e o
Medical Sciences, G ea e Noida –
201312, Gau am Buddha Naga , U a
P adesh, India
Email: d .p e anaaga [email protected]
O iginal A icle
A icle his o y:
Recei ed 23 Ap . 2024
Accep ed 1 Aug. 2025
Published 14 Ap . 2025
How o ci e his a icle:
Aga wal P, Biswas D A. Re lec ion
on he esponse o heal hca e
p o essionals o he COVID-19
pandemic - p eclinical s uden s
iden i y wha hei p o ession is
abou . J Med Edu De . 2025; 18(1):
76-86.
[ DOI: 10.61186/edcj.18.1.76 ] [ Downloaded om edujou nal.zums.ac.i on 2025-10-03 ]
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Volume 17 ¦ Issue 54¦ 2024
p o ession's implici p ac ices [6]. To explo e he impac
o he pandemic on p o essional iden i y o ma ion [7]
among p eclinical s uden s, we conduc ed a p ojec
assessing hei pe cep ions o medical p o essionalism
based on hei obse a ions o in ol emen o heal hca e
p o essionals du ing he pandemic. This analysis seeks o
unde s and how s uden s in e p e he ideals o medical
p o essionalism in he ace o unp eceden ed challenges,
he eby gaining insigh in o hei e ol ing p o essional
iden i y, shaped by bo h ex e nal ole models and in e nal
alues [7]. This explo a ion is c ucial o nu u ing u u e
physicians who embody he e hos o compassiona e and
dedica ed heal hca e deli e y unde all ci cums ances.
Ma e ials & Me hods
Design and se ing(s)
The quali a i e s udy, con en analysis based on he
p inciples o g ounded heo y, was conduc ed om
Oc obe 2020 – Janua y 2021, du ing he lockdown
pe iod in he coun y when he s uden s had been home
and he eaching shi ed o online mode, in he
Depa men Physiology o Jawaha lal Neh u Medical
College, Da a Meghe Ins i u e o Highe Educa ion and
Resea ch (p e iously Da a Meghe Ins i u e o Medical
Sciences) (Deemed o be Uni e si y), Sawangi (Meghe),
Wa dha, Maha ash a, India.
Resea ch Ques ion
Wha ha e he p eclinical s uden s disce ned abou he
medical p o ession conce ning i s co e alues by
obse ing he ole o heal hca e p o essionals du ing he
COVID-19 pandemic?
Resea ch Team
Bo h he au ho s, bo h emales, we e eache s o he
p eclinical s uden s who pa icipa ed in he s udy. One
au ho , P e na Aga wal, has p e iously wo ked on
quali a i e esea ch and ook he lead on da a collec ion
and analysis. The s udy being conduc ed online, i is less
likely ha he s uden s we e o ced o pa icipa e,
ensu ing a mo e olun a y and unbiased esponse a e.
The online o ma likely p o ided s uden s wi h a sense
o anonymi y and com o , allowing hem o exp ess
hei genuine pe cep ions wi hou ea o judgmen o
epe cussions.
Pa icipan s and sampling
The s udy was ca ied ou among he p eclinical s uden s,
o MBBS ba ches 2019 and 2020, s udying in
p o essional yea s i s , I and second, II, aged 17-21
yea s, a e ob aining e hical clea ance om he ins i u e,
ide le e no. DMIMS(DU)/IEC/2020-21/9060 da ed
10/10/2020, and an in o med consen o he pa icipan s
was ob ained. F om among he esponden s, i was
decided o analyse as many e lec ion no es ill no u he
new codes and hemes we e deduced.
Inclusion and Exclusion C i e ia:
All he esponden s we e included in he s udy. Howe e ,
any incomple e e lec ions and anyone no gi ing hei
consen o pa icipa e in he s udy we e excluded.
Tools/Ins umen s
The da a we e collec ed using a Google Fo m sha ed on
he Wha sApp g oups o he s uden s’ i ual class ooms.
Da a collec ion me hods
A i ual mee ing was conduc ed on he Zoom pla o m
o b ie he s uden s abou he pu pose and expec a ions
o he p esen s udy. The discussion ocussed on he
esponse o heal hca e p o essionals owa ds he
pandemic – Ha e you been eading newspape s and
wa ching he ele ision o news abou he COVID-19
pandemic? Ha e you o any o you acquain ances had
any pe sonal expe iences ela ed o i ? Wha ha e you
come o know abou how heal hca e p o essionals a e
dealing wi h i ? Did any pa icula news ca ch you
a en ion? Wha do you unde s and abou he medical
p o ession om i ? How do you ela e you sel o i ? To
p o ide s uden s wi h g ea e cla i y, hey we e
encou aged o sha e hei di e se expe iences and
pe spec i es ega ding he oles o heal hca e
p o essionals du ing he pandemic.
The s uden s we e hen asked o w i e e lec ion no es on
he same and sha e hem h ough a Google Fo m. The
google o m con ained a b ie desc ip ion abou he
con ex and clues o help he s uden s in w i ing he
na a i e.
Da a analysis
Bo h o us (au ho s), sepa a ely, analyzed all he
e lec ion no es/essays hema ically. We assigned codes
o a ious segmen s o he da a, exchanged no es, and
de i ed hemes om codes. We discussed he hemes in
he con ex o expec a ions om a heal hca e
p o essional and how s uden s iden i ied hemsel es wi h
hem. (Table 1 con ains an example o how da a analysis
was done.)
The analysis was done using QDA Mine Li e 2.0.5.
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Table 1. Example o Con en Analysis o he s uden s’ e lec ion no es
Re lec ion Na a i e
Na a i e Ex ac
Code/s
Theme
Wha happened?
Medical p o essionals we e
suddenly h us upon huge
esponsibili y o sa ing
e e yone ca e ing o hei
needs bu wi h ze o
p ecau ions and minimal
payg ade and p o ec ion
‘Medical p o essionals we e
suddenly h us upon huge
esponsibili y…’
‘…sa ing e e yone ca e ing o
hei needs…”
‘…bu wi h ze o p ecau ions and
minimal payg ade and
p o ec ion.’
Sense o esponsibili y
Al uism
Challenges in he medical
p o ession
Sense o esponsibili y A sense o
esponsibili y and accoun abili y
p e ails in he medical p o ession
Al uism Medical P o ession calls
o Al uism.
Challenges in he medical p o ession
Medical P o ession has i s own se
o pe ils.
Sel -sac i ice Medical P o ession
calls o sel -sac i ice.
Compe ence Doc o s need o be
‘compe en in hei skills and should
s i e o con inuous imp o emen ’
So wha ?
Though in ha d imes hey a e
e y much app ecia ed. All he
p o essionals wi hou ca ing
abou hemsel es wo king o
wo ld heal h shows ou
con ibu ion and sac i ices.
‘…All he p o essionals wi hou
ca ing abou hemsel es….’
‘…wo king o wo ld heal h…’
‘…shows ou con ibu ion and
sac i ices.’
Sel -sac i ice
Al uism
Sel -sac i ice
Now wha ?
I eally go an idea ha his my
ield isn’ some hing like desk
job ega dless o p esc ip ion
i ’s mo e abou being p epa ed
o any scena io and helping
people h ough i .
‘… his my ield isn’ some hing
like desk job ega dless o
p esc ip ion i ’s mo e abou
being p epa ed o any
scena io…’
‘…helping people h ough i .’
Compe ence
Al uism
Re lexi i y
Re lexi i y was in eg al o ou app oach o ensu e he
eliabili y and dep h o ou hema ic analysis. Au ho PA
has p e iously au ho ed a pape on medical
p o essionalism and au ho DAB is a e y senio
p o esso in he ins i u e. Bo h au ho s augh he
p eclinical s uden s among whom he s udy was ca ied
ou . We engaged in egula discussions o c i ically
examine ou biases and p econcep ions abou medical
p o essionalism and s uden e lec ions. Ou
collabo a i e e lexi i y enabled us o na iga e he
complex na a i es p esen ed by he s uden s, ensu ing
ha ou hema ic de i a ion was exhaus i e and
consis en wi h he a ied expe iences and insigh s hey
sha ed.
Resul s
The e we e 28 esponden s (Table 2) and we included
e lec ion no es o all o hem in he s udy o da a
analysis. The e lec ion no es o he s uden s unde sco ed
hei own empa hy o heal hca e p o essionals. They
iden i ied he challenges and haza ds o he medical
p o ession. They e lec ed a sense o p ide in being
associa ed wi h he p o ession. A he same ime, he
s uden s also iden i ied he sense o du y and se ice
heal hca e p o essionals ha e owa ds socie y. They
showed an unde s anding o he equi emen s o
dedica ion, compe ence, so skills, empa hy, eam spi i ,
sel -sac i ice, leade ship skills, and ha d wo k o he
p ac ice o he p o ession wi h ‘p o essionalism’. They
also iden i ied he go e nmen as an impo an
s akeholde in he heal hca e p o ession. (See appendix).
We iden i ied codes pe aining o hese cha ac e is ics
and de eloped hemes based on hem. All hese hemes
oge he iden i ied he a ious a ibu es o medical
p o essionalism and p o essional iden i y o ma ion, in
gene al [8].
Table 2. Demog aphic de ails o he esponden s (ages 17 - 21
yea s)
Demog aphic de ails
Male
Female
To al
MBBS ba ch 2019/ 2nd
p o essional yea
02
00
02
MBBS ba ch 2020/ 1s
p o essional yea
10
16
26
To al numbe o esponden s
12
16
28
Theme 1. Medical P o ession calls o
Al uism.
S uden s quo ed a ious ins ances as o how he doc o s
dis ega ded hei own in e es s o wo k o he la ge
bene i o he people, and how hey isked hei own li es
o ea ing pa ien s. Responden no. 17, a i s
p o essional yea male s uden obse ed ha ,
“...When he s a came o collec ing samples, people
had di e en , some we e coope a i e and some we e no .
Bu hen oo, no keeping his in mind, hese people did
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Volume 17 ¦ Issue 54¦ 2024
ake all he samples, some ga e swab samples and some
ook apid an igen es . This shows ha he medical
p o essionals in ol ed ga e hei bes e o s hey didn'
disc imina e be ween people … e en a e iolence, non-
coope a ion om people, hey didn' back down.”
Ano he s uden , a second p o essional yea male s uden
(Responden no. 14) exp essed, “… medical p o ession
is he only p o ession whe e he p o essionals a e s ill
doing hei job wi hou much changes in he e wo king
pa e n, OPD s ill a e ull wi h e i ies o pa ien whe e
some unde s and he impo ance o cu en scena io bu
many don' and as a doc o you igno e hose hings and
indulge you sel in ea men o o he s.”
Some s uden s clea ly s a ed ha he medical p o ession
is all abou ‘helping o he s’ (Responden no. 12, a male
s uden o i s p o essional yea ).
And in u n, some s uden s acknowledged ha he same
inspi ed hem ‘ o do hei bes in helping people in need’
(Responden no. 7, a i s p o essional yea emale
s uden ).
Theme 2. Medical P o essionals should ha e
‘good communica ion and o he so skills.’
S uden s men ioned ha doc o s need o ha e good
communica ion and o he so skills while dealing wi h
pa ien s and hei ela i es/ ca e ake s. They s a ed how
he same helps in es ablishing us and unde s anding
be ween hem, and a oid con lic . A i s p o essional
yea emale s uden (Responden no. 3) obse ed ha
“….P ope counselling o amily membe s o COVID-19
pa ien is being done by he doc o s which is e y
impo an ….”
Ano he i s p o essional yea emale s uden
(Responden no. 28) hough ha , “…e ec i e
communica ion amongs doc o and pa ien also he
pa ien ’s amily need o be p ope ly in o med abou he
condi ion o he pa ien ….”
Ano he i s p o essional yea emale s uden no ed
(Responden no. 04) ha “….Majo i y o doc o s ind
hemsel es s uggling o choose igh wo ds when i
comes o communica ing wi h he kins o he pa ien s. A
lo o iolence could be a oided by igh ul exchange o
wo ds.”
A i s p o essional yea male s uden exp essed
(Responden no. 27) ha “…I lea ned ha we need o
i s go o he pa ien hen alk in a good manne , hen
ake he pe mission asking him/he o diagnose o es
e c.”
They men ioned ha hey will be “Wo king owa ds
imp o ing pe sonal communica ion skills;
Unde s anding he impo ance o es ablishing a good
doc o pa ien ela ionship; Being an e ec i e and
esponsible spokespe son o he medical communi y…”
(Responden no.5, a i s p o essional yea emale
s uden ) , and ha “.I would y o es ablish an
unde s anding be ween me and pe son (pa ien )”
(Responden no. 24, a i s p o essional yea male
s uden ).
Theme 3. Doc o s need o be ‘compe en in
hei skills and should s i e o con inuous
imp o emen ’.
S uden s poin ed ou he need o being sound in
knowledge and applica ion, need o esea ch in he ield
and ha ing a scien i ic empe amen . They owed o
inculca e he necessa y skills in hemsel es. One i s
p o essional-yea emale s uden (Responden no. 4)
exp essed ha ,
“Below a e he ollowing hings ha he cu en si ua ion
has made me ealise: De elopmen o a scien i ic
empe amen a an unde g adua e le el and cons an ly
ying o adap he same in day- o-day li e…...”
“The impo ance o esea ch has been b ough up by his
pandemic” was obse ed by esponden no. 9, a i s
p o essional yea emale s uden .
Ano he i s p o ession yea emale s uden ,
(Responden no. 16) s a ed ha “Doc o s ha e no only
wo k on he ea men pa bu also he esea ch pa o
ge he igh accine and o cu e his i us om oo s.”
A i s p o essional yea male s uden (Responden no.
12) said ha “In my u u e p ac ice I will y o make he
bes use o my knowledge.”
Theme 4. Doc o s ough o be ‘empa he ic’
owa ds hei pa ien s.
S uden s pu o h he impo ance o empa hy o he
pa ien s and hei ca e ake s, and hei own commi men
o de eloping he same in hei own beha iou .
“…P ope counselling o amily membe s o COVID-19
pa ien is been done by he doc o s which is e y
impo an . No only by medical ea men bu emo ional
suppo and empa hy is also gi en by doc o s,” was
exp essed by he i s p o essional yea emale s uden
(Responden no.3).
“….since in he co id wa d only he pa ien is allowed o
s ay he amily membe a e always in s ess and panic o
know abou he si ua ion o he pa ien and is always
cu ious o know abou he eco e y s a us o pa ien . So
he e comes he ole o a doc o o in o m abou he
si ua ion o he pa ien and he ea men been gi en o
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hem. This helps o keep hope and ai h on he doc o s.
As hey eel ha hei amily membe is in good hands,”
was obse ed by he esponden no. 28, a i s
p o essional yea emale s uden .
“…and make a good ela ionship o empa hy and espec
o my pa ien s,” was s a ed by esponden no. 11, a i s
p o essional yea emale s uden .
Likewise, esponden no. 24, a i s p o essional yea
male s uden s a ed ha , “...I would y o es ablish an
unde s anding be ween me and pe son…”
Theme 5. Doc o s should uphold ‘in eg i y o
hei cha ac e ’ a all imes.
Some s uden s could iden i y ha doc o s should be
i uous in hei cha ac e . They should be hones ,
dedica ed and should no disc imina e.
Responden no. 12, a i s p o essional yea male s uden
s a ed ha , “…I belie e ha whoe e is a pa o he
heal hca e sys em should be dedica ed and hones o
hei wo k only hen can we de ea such disas e s….”
Responden no. 17, a i s p o essional yea male s uden
obse ed ha “…didn' disc imina e be ween people…”
“People belie e wha doc o s say. I is his us which
we ha e o keep s ong as we, he medical p o essionals
a e he only sou ces o hope o he people and ha ’s he
mos impo an hing we should ha e in ou minds…”,
was exp essed by esponden no. 12, a i s p o essional
yea male s uden .
Theme 6. A sense o esponsibili y and
accoun abili y p e ails in he medical
p o ession.
S uden s unde s ood he esponsibili y doc o s bea on
hei shoulde s. They could ecognise hei being
accoun able o he well-being o hei pa ien s and
heal hca e needs o he socie y in gene al. They said hey
would conduc hemsel es in an app op ia e manne .
“…doc o s ha e a g ea esponsibili y on hei shoulde s
in such imes...” no ed esponden no. 10, a i s
p o essional yea emale s uden .
“…because i 's hei du y…” said esponden no. 7,
ano he i s p o essional yea emale s uden .
“… his p o ession is no o expe imen a ion bu a
planned igh ac ion and decision has o be aken a igh
ime. One mis ake and we could lose he pa ien 's li e.
This pandemic is a lesson…” said esponden no. 16, a
i s p o essional yea emale s uden . She also exp essed
ha , “I am e y inspi ed by he medical p o essionals
du ing pandemic. I has aised a g ea e sense o
esponsibili y wi hin me owa ds he socie y.”
Ano he i s p o essional yea emale s uden ,
esponden no. 4, s a ed ha she would p ac ice medicine
“...keeping in mind how my ac ions could po en ially
ha bou a eeling o dis us among gene al popula ion.”
Theme 7. Medical p o ession is a ‘ eam wo k’.
S uden s ci ed many ins ances whe e hey iden i ied
doc o s/ heal hca e p o essionals wo king as a eam, and
coope a ing wi h each o he . One i s p o essional yea
emale s uden , esponden no. 10, no ed ha ,
“….doc o s who a e al hough no wo king in he co id
hospi als, bu s ill, hey a e sp eading awa eness and
asking people o wea masks and main ain hand hygiene.
No only his, he g oups ha ha e been o med by he
adminis a ion ha has a doc o wi h hem…”
Ano he i s p o essional yea male s uden , esponden
no 12, no ed ha , “…. I ’s no only abou he doc o bu
he c edi goes o he en i e eam o 12 people who
assis ed he doc o and played di e en oles in he lab.”
Simila ly, esponden no 5, ano he i s p o essional
yea emale s uden , obse ed ha , “… hey a e eally
wo king e y ha d o us ........ hey wo k oge he as a
g oup.”
Theme 8. Doc o s should be able o ‘lead and
guide’.
Some s uden s men ioned ha doc o s should be able o
assume leade ship oles:
In his con ex , esponden no. 4, a i s p o essional yea
emale s uden exp essed, “….I ha e ealized he
impo ance o suppo ing leade ship quali ies as a pa
o medical educa ion…”
Theme 9. Doc o s se e he communi y and
pa ien s ‘sense o se ice and du y’.
S uden s iden i ied se ing he communi y as he du y o
heal hca e p o essionals, including hemsel es as
s uden s. Responden no. 11, a i s p o essional yea
emale s uden obse ed, “… he medical p o essionals
and o he people associa ed in any way wi h ea ing and
se ing he people….” Simila ly, esponden no. 7,
ano he i s p o essional yea emale s uden also
iden i ied he wo d ’du y’, saying, “…a e doing his
because i 's hei du y.”Ano he esponden , no. 8, a i s
p o essional yea emale s uden , also used he wo ds
‘se e’ and ‘du y’ while exp essing, “…. Medical
s uden s a e adep a many clinical oles. Allowing hem
o se e…. Should be allowed o ul ill hei du ies as
such.”
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Theme 10. Medical P o ession in ol es a lo
o ‘ha d wo k’.
S uden s clea ly poin ed ou he ha d wo k ha doc o s
pu in:
“…physicians and heal h ca e p o essionals o hei
ha d wo k, hough ulness, and commi men du ing his
challenging ime,” said esponden no.8, a i s
p o essional yea emale s uden . Responden no. 5, a
i s p o essional yea emale s uden , also used he
ph ase ‘ha d wo k’, “…. hey a e eally wo king e y
ha d o us…”
Responden no. 21, a i s p o essional yea male s uden
obse ed, “…I ha e seen doc o s, nu ses wo king in
double digi hou s in PPE o he well-being o diseased
people.” Simila ly, esponden no. 27, also a i s
p o essional yea male s uden no ed,
“...I obse ed ha doc o s a e wo king ound he clock,
hey a e no ha ing p ope ood a ime, Doc o s a e
mo ing wi h co id pa ien s all he ime. They also ha e a
amily bu hey a e eady o se e he pa ien s in his
pandemic si ua ion. As, his disease being a highly
con agious one doc o s need o pu on PPE ki all he
ime, I canno exp ess how hey su oca e...”
Ye ano he esponden , no. 28, a i s p o essional yea
emale s uden obse ed, “…medical p o essionals ha e
been o e wo ked.”
Theme 11. Medical P o ession calls o sel -
sac i ice.
S uden s also ecognized he sel -sac i ice in ol ed in
he p ac ice o heal h ca e.
“Medical p o essionals we e suddenly h us upon huge
esponsibili y o sa ing e e yone ca e ing o hei needs
bu wi h ze o p ecau ions and minimal payg ade and
p o ec ion,” and, “… all he p o essionals wi hou ca ing
abou hemsel es wo king o wo ld heal h shows ou
con ibu ion and sac i ices,” said esponden no. 2, a i s
p o essional yea emale s uden o emphasise ha
doc o s comp omise hei own needs. She also el ha ,
“The medical p o essionals a e doing hei bes o help
people, p o ec ing hem, s aying away om hei amily
o keep hem sa e as well.”
Responden no. 11, a i s p o essional yea emale
s uden said doc o s isked hei won li es o pa ien s’
sake, “...The COVID- 19 Pandemic si ua ion is e y
di icul o e e yone especially he medical
p o essionals and o he people associa ed in any way
wi h ea ing and se ing he people as hey a e isking
hei own li es, s aying away om hei own amilies o
days and mon hs and a e s epping o wa d o help he
socie y wi hou hinking any hing o hei own good.”
Simila ly, esponden no. 26, a i s p o essional yea
male s uden also el “Doc o s ying ha d o sa e li es
by keeping hei (own) li e a s ake.”
Theme 12. Medical P o ession has i s own se
o pe ils.
S uden s iden i ied many si ua ions in ol ing haza ds,
challenges o he heal hca e p o essionals hemsel es,
and how doc o s pu hei du y ahead o hei own
in e es s. They also highligh ed he lacunae in sa e y, and
p o ec ion o heal hca e p o essionals, and e en lack o
adequa e acknowledgemen o hei con ibu ion.
Responden no 3, a i s p o essional yea emale s uden
obse ed doc o s con ac ing he disease om pa ien s,
“…In some cases, doc o s a e also being in ec ed wi h
COVID-19 du ing ea men o pa ien s….”
In he exp ession,“…how he doc o s a e dis espec ed,
e en ha e o ace some physical ha ms by he people in
he socie y whom hey se e….” esponden no. 11, a
i s p o essional yea emale s uden , highligh ed
assaul s, ou o ea , o misin o ma ion, on doc o s.
Responden no. 15, ano he i s p o essional yea
emale, highligh ed o e wo k, need o es , and abuse
o doc o s in he con ex , “….The doc o s need es .
Pa ien s need o ake ha in o conside a ion. A e
wo king 24×7 his is no wha hey expec . I ha e seen
pa ien s ge ing ex emely abusi e owa ds he doc o o
no ea ing hei pa ien e en hough he doc o was
himsel no well…”
Simila ly, esponden no. 17, a i s p o essional yea
male s uden , also iden i ied agg essions agains doc o s,
“…, hey ac ed as i s line o de ence du ing his
pandemic, and e en a e iolence, non-coope a ion
om people, hey didn' back down, and I don' hink
anyone else could ha e done i in his way….”
Likewise, esponden no. 24, also a i s p o essional
yea male s uden s a ed “…People we e a aid o i us
and hey saw medical p o essionals as a connec ion o
i us. Du ing pandemic I wen o pho og aph shop. He
was no welcoming o me in ap on and asked me o lea e
so he e was some ea agains medical p o essionals
which can be ha m ul some imes.”
Responden no. 4, a i s p o essional yea emale s uden
iden i ied ‘impai men o human igh s o doc o s’ in he
exp ession,“….Fu he he imp ope implemen a ion o
laws has impai ed he human igh s o doc o s leading o
mul iple p o es s.” Responden no. 28, a i s
p o essional yea emale s uden iden i ied ‘s igma’
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being associa ed wi h medical pe sonnel and hei
amilies, “...medical p o essionals ha e been
o e wo ked, gene al popula ion usually ies o a oid
hem, medical p o essional amilies no ea ed well and
s igma ized om he po en ial ea o ge ing in ec ed,
s a e heal h ca e p o essionals a e unde paid and
o e wo ked.”
Theme 13. Heal hca e p o ession is i al o
he communi y.
S uden s’ commen s abou he heal hca e p o ession
indica ed hei unde s anding o he i al ole he
p o ession plays in he communi y. Responden no. 8, a
i s p o essional yea emale s uden no ed in his
con ex , “Heal h p o essionals play a cen al and c i ical
ole in imp o ing access and quali y heal h ca e o he
popula ion.” Responden no. 12, a i s p o essional yea
male s uden obse ed how c ucial was he ole o
heal hca e p o essionals in dealing wi h he ‘pandemic’,
a global heal h and li e h ea , “The Medical
p o essionals ha e played a pi o al ole in dealing wi h
he pandemic…” Simila ly, esponden no. 17, ano he
i s p o essional yea male s uden ema ked, “All he
heal hca e wo ke s ha e ac ed as he i s line o de ence
in his pandemic…”
Theme 14: Go e nmen and i s policies play a
pi o al ole in heal hca e.
S uden s unde s and he ole o go e nmen in ensu ing
heal hca e in he communi y. Responden s no. 4, 16, and
22, i s p o essional yea emale s uden s, indica ed
oles o go e nmen in heal hca e ela ed aspec in hei
ema ks,
“…A majo eason o all o he abo e sho comings is a
c ippled heal hca e sys em owing o he disin e es and
dis ega d by he conce ning go e ning au ho i ies.
Una ailabili y o a publicly unded heal h insu ance in
second la ges popula ion o he wo ld is a cause o g ea
conce n, ”, “… many p e en i e measu es we e aken on
la ge scale by go e nmen …”, and “… The medical
a e ni y should ha e aining o epidemics and
pandemic, he go should ha e a special budge o he
same,”, espec i ely.
Theme 15. I is a ma e o p ide!
S uden s ake p ide in being a pa o he heal hca e
sys em. They hold medical p o essionals in high es eem.
Responden no. 8, a i s p o essional yea emale s uden
iden i ied doc o s as ‘he oes’ in he obse a ion,
“…Among he he oes who ha e eme ged om his c isis
a e he heal h ca e p o essionals who ha e isked hei
own heal h o se e hei pa ien s. The na ion is indeb ed
o hem.” She also men ions he na ion being in deb
owa ds heal hca e p o essionals o hei ole in dealing
wi h he pandemic. Responden no. 8, ano he i s
p o essional yea emale s uden ema ked doc o s as
‘wa io s’, “The Medical p o essionals ha e played a
pi o al ole in dealing wi h he pandemic. The on -line
wa io s wi hou ca ing o hei own li es ha e se ed
he communi y and ha e se an example o he
gene a ions o come…”
Discussion
Medical p o essionalism and p o essional
iden i y o ma ion
A good p ac ice o medicine equi es a e y high le el o
e hical and mo al conduc on he pa o i s p o essionals.
Di e en socio-cul u al con ex s may iden i y di e en
a ibu es o he p ac ice ele an o he same. The e o e,
he e is no one s anda d de ini ion o medical
p o essionalism. [9] Howe e , he mo al p inciples ha
desc ibe a good human being a e a easonable minimum
equi emen o a good medical p o essional [10-12].
Also, in any medical educa ion ins i u e, s uden s om
di e en backg ounds come oge he o pu suing hei
p o essional aining. Thei pe sonal s anda ds o e hics
and mo als may be a iable. And he en i onmen o
medical p ac ice may be in s a k con as o he
backg ounds hey had been accus omed o. Bu hey a e
all equi ed o adop good p o essional a ibu es, apa
om lea ning cu icula skills [13]. He e, he o me
emains less clea ly de ined, emains less clea ly augh ,
and e en less clea ly lea ned [14]. Medical
p o essionalism has he e o e emained a di icul opic
o each and lea n. S uden s lea n i in classes as well as
by obse ing and e lec ing on wha goes on a ound
hem. They y o ela e hemsel es o di e en si ua ions
and o m hei own code o conduc . The la e emains
dynamic – i keeps on e ol ing o e he ime he s uden s
spend in he p ac ice o medicine, as a s uden and la e
as a p ac i ione . They o m hei own p o essional
iden i ies bo h wi h espec o hei own indi idual
pe sonali ies and wi h espec o hei lea ning [6, 15].
The o emos s ep in he p ocess is ha he s uden s
clea ly iden i y he a ibu es o good medical
p o essional p ac ice [8].
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Volume 17 ¦ Issue 54¦ 2024
Re lec ion on he COVID–19 pandemic
si ua ion by medical s uden s
The global esponse o heal hca e p o essionals o he
COVID-19 pandemic p esen s an excep ional lea ning
oppo uni y o medical s uden s o g asp he essence o
hei u u e p o ession [4, 5]. As Phase I and Phase II
MBBS s uden s we e in oduced o medicine and
hospi al se ings, hey encoun e ed a unique lea ning
obs acle when asked o obse e he pandemic's impac
om a dis ance [16]. This limi ed hei academic and
expe ien ial unde s anding o medical p ac ice and
p o essional expec a ions. To b idge his gap, s uden s
we e asked wi h e lec ing on heal hca e p o essionals'
oles du ing he pandemic, os e ing a p o essional
pe spec i e on he si ua ion [4, 5]. Despi e being o -si e,
s uden s a en i ely obse ed p o essionals' esponses
ac oss heal hca e deli e y and esea ch ields,
iden i ying key a ibu es o medical p ac ice o in eg a e
upon hei e u n o ac i e lea ning en i onmen s [17].
Focused e lec ion ac s as a co ne s one o mo e
in en ional lea ning o medical p o essionalism,
con ibu ing signi ican ly o s uden s' p o essional
iden i y o ma ion [12, 17, 18]. Analysis o s uden s'
e lec ion no es e ealed a comp ehensi e spec um o
a ibu es associa ed wi h he medical p o ession,
su passing expec a ions. S uden s highligh ed he
signi icance o mo al alues, he p o ession's communi y
impac , and go e nmen al egula ion, demons a ing a
p o ound commi men o hei p o essional g ow h.
No ably, hey ecognized occupa ional haza ds while
exp essing p ide and accoun abili y in hei chosen pa h
[19]. This sense o p ide and esponsibili y con ibu es o
hei sel -es eem and mo i a es hem o excel as high-
achie ing p o essionals. Encou aging s uden s o e lec
on heal hca e p o essionals' pandemic esponses,
he e o e, empowe ed hem o in e nalize essen ial
aspec s o medical p ac ice and alues. These e lec ions
se e as ounda ional elemen s in shaping a u u e
gene a ion o conscien ious and p o icien heal hca e
p o ide s, d i en by a deep unde s anding o hei
p o ession's demands and ewa ds.
Wha o he simila s udies ha e ound:
A li e a u e sea ch e ealed se e al s udies ha ha e
explo ed medical s uden s' p o essional iden i y du ing
COVID-19, al hough wi h di e en objec i es and
me hodologies. These quali a i e s udies used e lec i e
w i ing, g oup discussions, o in e iews o da a
collec ion. Findya ini e al. (2020) [20] s udied 80
e lec ion no es o medical s uden s om di e en
phases o he cou se a hei ins i u e. In he sub hemes
ha hey de i ed, hey clea ly men ioned s uden s el
‘empa hy’ o hei su oundings wi h espec o he
pandemic si ua ion. The s uden s iden i ied hemsel es
wi h he ole o ‘heal h educa o ’ and ‘ ole model’ o he
‘communi y’. Wu h e al. (2021) [21] s udied 467
medical s uden s’ esponses o open-ended and close-
ended ques ions in hei online su ey h ough a
ques ionnai e. In hei sec ion on he Impac o he
COVID-19 pandemic on s uden s’ p o essional iden i y,
hey epo ed s uden s acknowledging ha hey ( he
s uden s) el ha he doc o -pa ien ela ionship he e is
deepe ; he eeling o belonging o he heal h ca e
wo ke s and he ision o hei commi men ; and ha he
si ua ion allowed hem o ealize he impo ance o heal h
ca e p o essionals in ou socie y; eamwo k and
communica ion a e key o good collabo a ion and pa ien
ca e; he impo ance o solida i y among heal h ca e
p o essionals; a lo o kindness and goodwill a e
equi ed; he impo ance o eassu ing a pa ien , o
c ea ing us , o being en i ely conscious o po en ial
s e eo ypes, and how o igh hem; el eassu ed o ha e
chosen hose s udies; ha a doc o can do a b oad ange
o hings, among he many o he obse a ions he au ho s
made in hei s udy. By am, e al (2022) [22] discussed
he e lec ions o 26 s uden s ega ding he ole and
image o a physician ha s uden s de eloped in iew o
he pandemic, among o he hemes. S uden s iden i ied
he p o ession as one ‘in ol ing dange ’. Howe e , hey
‘wan ed hemsel es o be physicians’. And, hey
ecognised he impo ance o ‘e ec i e communica ion’
as physicians. Williams-Yuen e al. (2022) [23]
in e iewed 15 s uden s o medical yea s 1-4 a hei
uni e si y ega ding p o essional iden i y o ma ion in
COVID -19 se ing. One o he hemes, hey iden i ied in
hei da a was ‘Physicians as He oes”. S uden s obse ed
he sac i ices doc o s had o make o be ha expec ed
al uis , he esponsibili y hey always bea , and hei
dange s. Moula e al. (2022) [24] analyzed 648 c ea i e
wo ks along wi h e lec i e w i ing abou hem om
s uden s ac oss he globe. Doc o s ha e ‘social
accoun abili y’, hey ough o be ‘unbiased’, and s uden s
aking ‘p ide’ in he p o ession we e among he hemes
o hei indings ha esona ed wi h ou s. P ade e al.
(2023) [25] analysed 21 semi-s uc u ed in e iews o
medical s uden s s udying in he 8 h and 9 h semes e a
he Uni e si y o Ulm. ‘P o essional Compe ence’,
‘al uism’, ‘empa hy’, ‘good communica ion’, and ‘sense
o esponsibili y’ we e among he aspec s o medical
p o essionalism ha he s uden s iden i ied as impo an .
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Hende son e al. (2023) [26] examined p o essional
iden i y o ma ion as ca alyzed by he COVID-19
pandemic among medical s uden s a wo medical
schools in Ame ica h ough in e iews, wice as hey
ansi ioned om he i s medical p o essional yea o
second one. They ound ha s uden s wan ed o be public
heal h ‘ ole models’, and ha he pandemic p omp ed a
‘ eeling o p ide’ in hem o being a ilia ed o he
heal hca e p o ession. They ound ha s uden s also
ques ioned he ‘sel -sac i ice’ in ol ed in he p o ession.
And ha physicians should ake up leade ship oles by
‘engaging in public heal h and poli ical communica ion’.
Though no exac ly a ma ch o ou s udy’s pe spec i e o
b oadly explo ing he medical s uden s’ ake on he ole
o heal hca e p o essionals du ing he COVID-19
pandemic, he hemes and codes hese au ho s ha e
deduced in hei wo ks a e qui e simila o wha we ha e
ound in ou wo k.
We ecei ed esponses om a ac ion o he p eclinical
s uden s wi h only 28 o hem submi ing e lec i e
w i ing. Reasons o low pa icipa ion may be a ied,
including discom o wi h w i ing, lack o mo i a ion,
in e ne access issues, disin e es , o pe cep ions o
i ual lea ning's ele ance. In e ences d awn om ou
online s udy may no apply o non-pa icipan s.
Howe e , in he ligh o wha o he s udies ha e ound as
ci ed in he discussion abo e, he indings o ou s udy
may no be comple ely non-gene alizable. Ano he
limi a ion may be he i ual mode o da a collec ion:
ace- o- ace discussions and w i ing ypically yield mo e
eliable da a.
Wha we may he eby in e
We may easonably deduce ha he s uden s con inued
hei passi e lea ning o medical p o essionalism and
iden i y o ma ion e en when hey we e o he ield by
analysing he ole o heal hca e p o essionals in he
COVID-19 pandemic. Also, his ac i i y o e lec ion
w i ing i sel may ha e helped hem o app ecia e wha
hei medical p o ession is abou . The ac i i y may also
ha e acili a ed in he p ocess o hei p o essional
iden i y o ma ion while hey we e away om he ac ual
p o essional en i onmen and eaching o he same. We
may expec hem o ha e lea ned hese aspec s mo e
cohe en ly when hey e u ned o hei ins i u e when he
lockdowns we e discon inued.
Conclusion
The p eclinical s uden s we e able o g asp he scope o
hei p o ession e en while being dis an om ac ual
hospi al and academic se ings du ing he pandemic by
c i ically obse ing and analyzing he esponse o
heal hca e p o essionals o COVID-19. Ac i i ies such
as ocused g oup discussions and e lec i e w i ing
appea o ha e been bene icial in his p ocess.
Al hough hese indings a e no gene alizable, hey
suppo he p o ision o emo e lea ning oppo uni ies
and obse a ional lea ning. Medical ins i u es could
bene i om inco po a ing mo e case s udies, e lec i e
w i ing assignmen s, and ocus g oup discussions o
enhance unde s anding o eal-wo ld si ua ions, e en
when di ec clinical exposu e is limi ed. Fu he mo e,
hese ins i u ions could inc ease engagemen wi h local
heal hca e acili ies o o e obse a ional in e nships o
s uden s. Fu u e esea ch ha explo es c oss-cul u al
a ia ions in he unde s anding o medical
p o essionalism and he o ma ion o p o essional
iden i y h ough emo e lea ning, in compa ison o o
hands-on dynamic aining, along wi h longi udinal
ollow-up, could be e y use ul in u he elucida ing
how medical s uden s in e nalize hese co e p o essional
alues.
E hical conside a ions
The s udy was app o ed by he Ins i u ional E hics
Commi ee o DMIMS (DU): DMIMS (DU)/IEC/2020-
21/9060 da ed 10.10.2020
A i icial in elligence u iliza ion o a icle
w i ing
A i icial In elligence (Cha GPT3.5 and 4) was used in
e ising he manusc ip .
Acknowledgmen s
The au ho s a e hank ul o all he s uden s who
pa icipa ed in he s udy and submi ed hei e lec i e
w i ing.
Con lic o in e es s a emen
The au ho s decla e ha hey ha e no con lic o in e es .
Au ho con ibu ions
P e na Aga wal- concep , design, da a acquisi ion,
analysis, in e p e a ion, d a ing and e iewing o
manusc ip , app o al o inal e sion. Dalia A. Biswas:
design, da a acquisi ion, analysis, in e p e a ion, d a ing
and e iewing o manusc ip , app o al o inal e sion.
[ DOI: 10.61186/edcj.18.1.76 ] [ Downloaded om edujou nal.zums.ac.i on 2025-10-03 ]
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