Central Visayas, Philippines May 13, 2020 (Issuewire.com) - UV Gullas College of Medicine has been on the forefront a thought leader, helping its foreign students doing MBBS in the Philippines achieve their true potential by mentoring them during these unprecedented times. This has been achieved by creating awareness about the COVID-19 pandemic and the steps one needs to take to ensure that they stay COVID-19 free. Most of the faculties of the UV Gullas College of Medicine, are also practicing doctors and hence share their practical knowledge. This is a huge advantage, considering the fact that the students get to learn not just the theoretical side of the program but also get shares regarding the practical side of what they learned from the books, say Ms Suba Ramesh, the Director of Admissions of UV Gullas College of Medicine. She sits from Vadapalani, Chennai in India, and heads the UV Gullas Medical College Admissions.
The Covid-19 Pandemic has however created a question of sorts about the presence and the role of students who are doing MBBS in the Philippines in battling this outbreak. Dr. Shelbay Blanco, the head of the preventive and community medicine from UV Gullas College of Medicine is a Medical Officer with the Department of Health in the Philippines Government also. Hence, he has complete updated information on the extent of spread of the COVID-19 and exactly what is happening in the field. The students have not only been safe in the UV Gullas Hostel which is within the UV Gullas campus, but the college under the able leadership of the management lead the students to help ease the society and their sufferings by distributing essentials around in a very safe way.
There are, however, a few conflicting schools of thoughts with regards to the roles that MBBS students can play during this pandemic.
As per the AAMC ( American Association of Medical Colleges) and their guidelines, the students are to not get involved and be the frontline warriors. The American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) has in fact ensured that the guidelines specify to suspend student clerkships and has recommended that “unless there is a critical health care workforce need locally, we strongly suggest that medical students not be involved in any direct patient care activities”. Since Philippines Medical Colleges follow the American Syllabus, this guideline was a fact that needed to be looked into too.
Another school of thought disagreed with the above saying, that the medical students’ involvement should be reserved for critical health care personnel shortages. They should be offered clinical opportunities that would benefit patient care and even help in a workforce shortage.
The thought further extends to the fact that AAMC recognises students as students and not employees and they are not “MDs”. But this frame of thought by the AAMC is also not right given the circumstance where it is expected for these students to be clinicians-in-training. The primary job of a medical student is to learn medicine but unless they practice, they wouldn’t be proficient to dispense treatment. If they are to be allowed to take care and be more involved, of course, with the necessary precautions, this could help face the future. There is a precedence to this statement. When Spanish flu broke out in 1918, it was the medical students of the University of Pennsylvania who cared for the patients and played the role of physicians.
In the current COVID-19 pandemic, the MBBS schools in Italy, the USA and Britain are graduating medical students early so that they serve as frontline clinicians. The healthcare system should never wait for until it reaches a breaking point before it invites the students doing MBBS in Philippines to serve. The medical students can adeptly play any role if channelized well, like for example, they can assist in fielding questions about COVID-19, they can take care of the outpatient clinical care by taking histories, documenting visits, calling patients with laboratory results, providing patient education
Sometimes, the MBBS students can provide care on inpatient services that do not have patients with COVID-19 also. Under the supervision of senior residents or attending physicians. The UV Gullas College of Medicine has been following these thoughts very carefully and has been preparing its students to handle the patients from these perspectives.
The British Medical Association has, however, come out with a tough, practical solution considering the possibility that there might be a point when the pandemic will simply overwhelm intensive care beds, ventilators, ECMO life-support. In a sentence, the guidelines can be summarised as that the infection of Coronavirus will not guarantee priority for treatment. Rather, the patients who have a higher probability of dying or require extended life support are not to be considered but may receive other forms of medical care. Though these guidelines do not relieve one of any moral stress, it does show the method of thought to be applied considering the stark future one is stepping into.
Students doing MBBS in the Philippines and who have chosen UV Gullas College of Medicine, have the privilege of receiving first-hand information and are being well-groomed for the inevitable future.
An article in the European Respiratory Journal talks of high-risk Emergency situations, where “the doctor is subject to a number of competing duties: 1) a duty to patients; 2) a duty to protect oneself from undue risk of harm; 3) a duty to one’s family; 4) a duty to colleagues whose workloads and risk of harm will increase in one’s absence, and 5) a duty to society.”
Dr Adarsh Pratap, president of the Resident Doctors Association at AIIMS, Delhi, positioned at Emergency, says right now saving human lives is the reason they signed up for the profession. His mother, who is over 60 and lives in Etawah, Uttar Pradesh, India, is worried, but “I tell her it’s like being in the Army in times of war. Ye to Karna hi hai (This has to be done).”
And as per the tweet from a doctor in Australia, @seemathewombat says: “I’m a Dr. I’m about to separate from my family within my home for --- months. So that I can keep treating you, whilst trying to keep my family safe. It hurts. No hugs from my girls, no cuddles from my partner. PLS socially distance NOW, to make my sacrifice worth it.”
UV Gullas Medical College knows the pain, the sacrifice and the courage that doctors need, and is determined in making a difference to this world through its students who have chosen to do MBBS in Philippines by training them well. This is why we are among the best top Philippines Medical Colleges present today. Leaving no stone unturned, we will ensure that we restore humanity and keep it safe just like our motto says – serving humanity through love and service, says Ms Suba.
Media Contact
UV Gullas College of Medicine info@uvgullascollegeofmedicine.com 00919445553877 Vadapalani http://www.uvgullascollegeofmedicine.com
