What guidance is being issued to final year medical students who are being asked to assist in the fight against coronavirus during the current pandemic?
Both Cardiff and Swansea Universities have been careful to ensure a suitable support network is in place for their students in order to assist them during this difficult time; communication with students to answer specific concerns is a priority for both universities.
Cardiff University have sent specific communications around the risks of working in the NHS at this time, have developed a student risk assessment, and run a webinar to provide further information.
The GEM programme in Swansea has sent out regular updating informative emails and letters to all its students, including Final Year students. These have covered the risks of working in a COVID NHS, use of PPE, early graduation and interim FY1 posts.
Medical students, from both universities have been fully briefed about the COVID crisis including the risks to themselves and the requirements for PPE and infection control
Due to the curriculum differences, both Universities are approaching the situation slightly differently. Swansea University have collaborated with Swansea Bay University Health Board and Hywel Dda University Health Board to create a paid role and job description for the final year students.
Cardiff University students will be placed into roles using the established student assistantship infrastructure, also in a paid capacity of equivalent status. It has also been suggested, which the University are currently considering, that the job description developed in Swansea is also used in Cardiff.
The final year medical students at both Cardiff and Swansea Universities that have already completed and passed the summative elements of their programme and, have demonstrated the required competencies for the award of a Primary Medical Qualification, are viewed to be ready to take on the challenges of interim FY1 doctors. Successful students will be able, if they wish, to approach the GMC for early pre-registration.
Those who have not passed these assessments will not be able to register with the GMC until they have taken and passed their re-sit examinations, to show that they have the competencies to look after patients safely.