We have recently had the opportunity to speak to some of the Lancaster University’s medical students whose final year at Lancaster has been radically transformed as a result of the Coronavirus crisis. We spoke to them about their time working on the front line to help combat the virus, the effects it has had on their studies and how funds from the University’s Covid-19 Emergency Support Fund could support them as they make the transition into full time work. You can find out about their full experiences below…

What impact has Covid-19 had on your studies/placements?

Covid-19 has meant our final year placements have been cut short so that we have graduated to working as foundation doctors several months earlier than usual and without having completed a significant part of the medical student training.

It has also meant that we have lost a lot of clinical and in-practice learning which is a critical part of our development. Instead we have become more reliant on remote and self-taught learning, but these more academic resources are less applicable to our current stage than hands- on experience and clinical exposure.

What challenges have you faced when working on the front line to help combat the virus?

The step up between medical school and working as an FiY1 (Foundation interim Year 1) is challenging at the best of times and to have to do that during a pandemic is even more stressful.

Hospital teams are currently under increased pressure so there is less time and availability for people to help and guide you when starting out in a new role where you need significant support. All of our day to day medical tasks have also had to be adapted to ensure they are Covid-19 secure.

In addition, general disruption throughout the hospital and change of teams and working patterns to respond to Covid-19 means the usual support systems and methods of accessing help have been disrupted for new doctors.

There are also further concerns about what this might mean for the NHS, our roles and working in hospital going forward and so there is increased uncertainty about both our current and future careers. All of these added difficulties are also experienced at a point where our training has been cut short and disrupted, so we already feel less prepared than would ordinarily be the case.

How has your time at Lancaster and on your course prepared you for working on the front line?

The medical knowledge we have accumulated throughout the previous four and a half years has helped provide us with the foundations we need to understand and care for patients’ medical needs.

The priority that Lancaster medical school places on early clinical exposure has also helped us establish the core clinical competencies and practical skills needed to perform in the role and help contribute to the medical team's ability to look after patients.

Emphasis in the curriculum on self-directed learning and reflection on our own strengths/weaknesses also helped us to recognise our own competencies, identify areas we are confident about working in and those where we need to address further learning needs or require further support to provide the highest quality care.

What could small donations from the Covid-19 Emergency Support Fund help you with on a personal level?

Donations would be very valuable in helping with the financial costs associated with graduating and working earlier than anticipated. The Covid-19 Emergency Support fund could help with our union, indemnity and General Medical Council membership costs for which we are now liable.

The fund could also help to cover some of our travel and accommodation costs which would significantly help relieve some stresses at this time, especially with high relocation costs and having to move between hospital trusts in different parts of the country at short notice whilst also trying to prepare for starting work.

Support and care packages would also be a significant help for workers' mental and physical health and overall wellbeing at this time. Long shifts and being under pressure the whole day often means there is little time to stop and eat, rest or get a hot drink and then even less opportunity to shop and meet our needs outside of work. Financial support to help with our personal care and wellbeing and having the opportunity to buy a nutritious, hot meal or coffee etc when we have had little opportunity to shop or prepare makes a huge difference. The fund could also help support us in purchasing valuable resources for starting in our new roles, such as medical textbooks, clinical guides, medical app downloads or having essential reliable electronic equipment.



As with many other professions the Coronavirus crisis has transformed the day to day work of our medical students and has fast tracked them into front line work to battle the greatest health crisis in generations. If you would like to find out more about how the University is supporting students through the Covid-19 Emergency Support Fund, please click here or if you would like to pledge your help to the support fund, please click here.