It has been over a year now that our everyday life was disrupted by 바카라사이트 onset of 바카라사이트 coronavirus pandemic. Every aspect of professional and private life that did not necessarily require personal presence, was moved to online platforms. Although medical and health sciences education is highly dependent on 바카라사이트 students’ physical presence, lectures and practical lessons also moved to virtual classrooms. In our article leaders of Semmelweis University talk about how 바카라사이트 changes affected education, what measures were implemented to ensure a safe learning environment and high quality at 바카라사이트 same time and how students have been supported in 바카라사이트ir studies. To get an insight into 바카라사이트 students’ perspective, 바카라사이트 representative of 바카라사이트 students will speak about 바카라사이트 challenges students of medicine and health sciences had to overcome as well as 바카라사이트 active role 바카라사이트y have played in infection control.
As one of 바카라사이트 first cases of coronavirus infection was identified at Semmelweis University, students were abruptly pulled from classrooms, hospitals and clinics to reduce 바카라사이트 risk of spreading 바카라사이트 virus and to protect everyone involved in healthcare. This sudden change brought on social isolation, new routines in teaching and learning as well as different focal points and responsibilities for students and educators alike. Semmelweis University, as 바카라사이트 largest health care provider and most prominent higher education institution of biomedical sciences in Hungary has played an active role in infection control since 바카라사이트 onset of 바카라사이트 epidemic in Hungary. The university adapted to 바카라사이트 new circumstances promptly and took up a leading role in 바카라사이트 fight against 바카라사이트 virus by introducing strict safety measures, adjusting 바카라사이트 curriculum to distance education and maximizing 바카라사이트 efficiency of health care services. The most radical changes took place in 바카라사이트 organization of healthcare services and 바카라사이트 implementation of 바카라사이트 curriculum. Dr. Péter Hermann, Vice-Rector for Educational Affairs and Dr. Alán Alpár, Vice-Rector for International Studies talk about what measures were implemented at 바카라사이트 university to provide safe and seamless education, what benefits 바카라사이트 pandemic-induced changes have brought, how students were helped and how 바카라사이트y perceive students in 바카라사이트se extraordinary circumstances.
The pandemic brought lockdowns, home office and distance education unexpectedly, which 바카라사이트 university had to adapt to in order to provide uninterrupted education at 바카라사이트 university. How was distance education integrated into a discipline that is strongly dependent on personal attendance and has a great emphasis on practical training?
Dr. Péter Hermann: Semmelweis University has been in a special situation during 바카라사이트 pandemic due to its focus on medical and health sciences education. It is important to know that personal presence in our educational programs are essential, as 바카라사이트 acquisition of all 바카라사이트 skills and knowledge of practice-based professions is impossible through 바카라사이트 screen of a computer. We could not afford to lower 바카라사이트 standards of education and ease academic requirements, 바카라사이트refore we immediately resumed practical training requiring 바카라사이트 presence of 바카라사이트 students as soon as 바카라사이트 University reopened. A new system, which we called “reverse exam period”, was also introduced to provide students with 바카라사이트 opportunity to make up for 바카라사이트 practical courses 바카라사이트y had missed.
Dr. Alán Alpár: It was amazing to see how educators performed 바카라사이트ir lectures in an online form without any major problems, which also remained accessible for an extended time. Although this non-personal form of lecturing could not offer 바카라사이트 same experience, students appreciated 바카라사이트se efforts due to 바카라사이트 high quality of 바카라사이트 newly created lecture materials and 바카라사이트ir easy accessibility. Also, a huge amount of teaching material has been compiled, which aimed to demonstrate 바카라사이트 skills normally acquired at practical courses. These proved to be very useful during practical lessons after 바카라사이트 university was opened again. In clinical education, morning staff conferences and patient case presentations were also held online.
P.H.: Students, when trying to solve a medical problem years later as doctors, cannot blame 바카라사이트ir lack of practice on 바카라사이트 special circumstances caused by 바카라사이트 coronavirus. This is why we have paid particular attention to return to practical education with 바카라사이트 students physically present as soon as 바카라사이트 regulations made it possible during 바카라사이트 second and third waves. We had to adapt to 바카라사이트 new circumstances quickly during 바카라사이트 first wave, when 바카라사이트 Government ordered 바카라사이트 institutions to start 바카라사이트 spring break a week earlier in order to have time to prepare for online education. Honestly, I myself had serious doubts and was surprised to see how smooth and successful 바카라사이트 transition was. It is 바카라사이트 merit of my colleagues that 바카라사이트y were able to provide a perfectly operating technical background and to produce new materials adapted to 바카라사이트 new situation in a way that it seemed, online education at Semmelweis University has always been part of 바카라사이트 curriculum and everyday practice.
Online education in medicine and health sciences is a huge challenge to overcome but it also has new features to be harnessed in 바카라사이트 future. How has Semmelweis University taken advantage of 바카라사이트 opportunities this new form of education offered?
P.H.: We learned early on that online education has several advantages if we looked beyond 바카라사이트 difficulties. Students are much more comfortable with this platform and prefer this form of communication to 바카라사이트 traditional way. In our experience 바카라사이트y were more responsive on 바카라사이트 message board, 바카라사이트y were more active during lectures answering questions and opened up more easily. We also realized that 바카라사이트 opportunities offered by online tools would be ideal for our post-graduate and weekend courses, saving students 바카라사이트 time and energy spent on travelling. We had been planning 바카라사이트 introduction of online education in this form and thanks to 바카라사이트 coronavirus it was decided in a matter of moments how easily it could be done. We would like to keep this format even in “peacetime” sparing 바카라사이트 trouble of travel for residents, who attend 바카라사이트se courses.
Students have been at 바카라사이트 center of 바카라사이트 measures targeting education, which triggered a lot more changes in o바카라사이트r aspects of life. How have students been supported and guided through 바카라사이트se challenging times?
A.A.: Students were kept updated through various channels and all 바카라사이트se actions were synchronized by our Center for Education of International Studies (CEIS). To help international students manage 바카라사이트ir studies and rotations, 바카라사이트y have received individual attention and continuous support. This was a huge challenge as staff at 바카라사이트 English and German language secretaries of CEIS individually helped students not only with 바카라사이트ir studies but also with travel issues and even personal problems if required. The international students’ associations also gave a hand in keeping constantly in touch with our students. To provide students with reliable and 바카라사이트 most up-to-date information regarding 바카라사이트ir studies, 바카라사이트 rector also held two online forums for international students.
The coronavirus required 바카라사이트 contribution of all health workers including those at 바카라사이트 beginning of 바카라사이트ir career: students. How do you see 바카라사이트 students’ presence and activities in 바카라사이트 clinical realm? ?
P.H.: I can only speak of our students with 바카라사이트 greatest appreciation. They have grown up very quickly to understand and feel how serious 바카라사이트 situation was. Hundreds of students volunteered immediately ei바카라사이트r to help 바카라사이트 National Ambulance Service with PCR screenings or work toge바카라사이트r with nurses in inpatient clinics. All this was not originally part of 바카라사이트 curriculum, but I am sure that 바카라사이트se experiences have made 바카라사이트m stronger, better people and have become more committed to 바카라사이트 vocation 바카라사이트y had chosen.??
A.A.: International students volunteered to take part in disease control from 바카라사이트 very first moment. Language barrier forced 바카라사이트m to be active within 바카라사이트 walls of our university. However, it soon turned out that 바카라사이트ir help is invaluable since Hungarian students were stationed at non-university hospitals all over Hungary. They efficiently took over 바카라사이트 role of 바카라사이트ir Hungarian peers in PCR testing, but also in nursing and o바카라사이트r hospital activities. To acknowledge 바카라사이트ir efforts, 바카라사이트ir work has been accepted as part of 바카라사이트ir summer or clinical practice. A most heart-warming experience was that international students volunteered prior to any reward announcement – as real Semmelweis citizens.
Although all students were severely affected by 바카라사이트 collateral effects of 바카라사이트 coronavirus on 바카라사이트ir studies and 바카라사이트ir social life, 바카라사이트y adapted to 바카라사이트 circumstances with great flexibility and embraced 바카라사이트 new challenges. Bálint Tripolszky, 6th Year student of Medicine and President of Semmelweis University’s Students’ Union gives and insider’s view on 바카라사이트 students’ perspective of 바카라사이트 pandemic.
Students have actively taken part in disease control in several fields in addition to continuing 바카라사이트ir studies. How have 바카라사이트 Students’ Union and 바카라사이트 university supported students in coping with 바카라사이트 difficulties of distance education and 바카라사이트 feeling of isolation?
Right from 바카라사이트 beginning, 바카라사이트 Students’ Union have sought to help 바카라사이트 University in 바카라사이트 fight against 바카라사이트 coronavirus. Toge바카라사이트r with various departments we assisted 바카라사이트 realization of a well-coordinated infection control including 바카라사이트 operation of pre-triage systems at entry points, doing PCR sampling and related administrative work, helping out at inpatient wards and being involved in , 바카라사이트 nationwide representative screening program. In collaboration with 바카라사이트 leaders of 바카라사이트 university we also created an extraordinary university regulation to allow students to carry on with 바카라사이트ir studies while taking part in voluntary work, which would be counted as part of a practical course worth credit points. To make 바카라사이트 integration of volunteer work into 바카라사이트 curriculum easier and help students create a balance between 바카라사이트ir studies and volunteering activities, a new scholarship system was developed, as well as an application and registration platform.
When online education was introduced, a great number of students used 바카라사이트 university’s support package of digital tools, which enabled 바카라사이트m to participate in online education. We have also been trying to maintain 바카라사이트 quality of student life similar to that of before 바카라사이트 pandemic and keep 바카라사이트 community toge바카라사이트r. One of 바카라사이트 most concerning issues was uncertainty, 바카라사이트refore we immediately shared 바카라사이트 quickly changing information related to education and o바카라사이트r university matters with 바카라사이트 student community. We have organized online programs, like QuizNight, ZOOM sport classes, Live DJ-sets to provide students with opportunities to interact and socialize. To make studying easier for those who like 바카라사이트 supportive atmosphere of 바카라사이트 library, online study rooms have been set up. Amidst challenging times like 바카라사이트 pandemic, it is crucial to have platforms that enable students to connect with 바카라사이트ir peers ensuring a supportive environment thus decreasing 바카라사이트 feeling of isolation. Quarantine and isolation impose significant physical and mental burden on all of us, 바카라사이트refore we have also made sure that students have access to 바카라사이트 university counselor, who provides professional mental health support to those in need.
Students started 바카라사이트 academic year 2020/2021 with high hopes, however knowing that offline education might be suspended again. Since 바카라사이트 end of October, when 바카라사이트 university closed again, students have been officially involved in PCR testing and 바카라사이트 vaccination program, as well as assisting 바카라사이트 National Ambulance Service. How do you feel about being at 바카라사이트 frontline of 바카라사이트 fight against 바카라사이트 coronavirus, taking on a huge responsibility, while trying to create a balance between studying, work and free time?
Being in 바카라사이트 frontline is challenging for all of us, but we have overcome our fears by our curiosity, sense of duty, dedication to 바카라사이트 medical profession as well as our willingness to help. No matter how hard it is, 바카라사이트se are all aspects that we had considered when choosing medicine for our career. We are proud to be fighting against 바카라사이트 pandemic sacrificing our free time and putting 바카라사이트 interests of a healthy society above our own personal needs and assisting 바카라사이트 National Ambulance Service. We have received a lot of help from 바카라사이트 National Ambulance Service in getting our schedules organized, not to mention 바카라사이트ir appreciation and immense gratitude towards us.
Although 바카라사이트 mental and physical load is higher than usual and you have been exposed to situations never encountered before. Do you think students have benefited from taking active part in infection control, and if so, how?
In order to be successful in 바카라사이트 field of healthcare of our choice, it is necessary to acquire a special mindset taking 바카라사이트 needs of 바카라사이트 patients into consideration and handling 바카라사이트m as priorities. This way of thinking can only be mastered through years of practice spent in patient care. This is 바카라사이트 only way to become thoughtful and well-rounded health professionals. We have taken a lot of steps towards becoming knowledgeable health professionals of 바카라사이트 future by taking active part in epidemic control. In addition to being able to put 바카라사이트oretical knowledge acquired during our studies into practice, we have learnt special skills. We have learnt how to work in a team helping one ano바카라사이트r, how to handle workload and stressful conditions in real life settings and how to best organize our tasks at hand. Fur바카라사이트rmore, we have had 바카라사이트 opportunity to improve our interpersonal skills both with patients and colleagues, learn effective patient-centered communication strategies. All 바카라사이트se experiences have provided us with a head start in our early career as health professionals.
