Abstract
Introduction: COVID-19 illness in 2019/2020 had an
overwhelming impact on healthcare workers, including
final-year medical students whose internship learning
experience and mental health were negatively affected.
Methods: We performed a qualitative study with
a phenomenological-interpretative approach. Group
interviews were conducted, and each participant was
asked to draw a picture representing what they
experienced during the covid-19 pandemic. Results:
Defense mechanisms such as denial and excision; feelings
of anxiety, anguish, sadness, and fear; and positive
perceptions of the pandemic were identified. Emerging
categories such as burnout syndrome, coping tools,
and educational barriers also appear. Discussion: The
immature defense mechanisms that medical students
employed during the internship year and their relationship
with higher levels of stress and greater emotional
exhaustion, as well as the report of situations that
generated anxiety, distress, sadness, and fear, in addition to
symptoms of burnout syndrome show the negative impact
of the covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of this
population.
overwhelming impact on healthcare workers, including
final-year medical students whose internship learning
experience and mental health were negatively affected.
Methods: We performed a qualitative study with
a phenomenological-interpretative approach. Group
interviews were conducted, and each participant was
asked to draw a picture representing what they
experienced during the covid-19 pandemic. Results:
Defense mechanisms such as denial and excision; feelings
of anxiety, anguish, sadness, and fear; and positive
perceptions of the pandemic were identified. Emerging
categories such as burnout syndrome, coping tools,
and educational barriers also appear. Discussion: The
immature defense mechanisms that medical students
employed during the internship year and their relationship
with higher levels of stress and greater emotional
exhaustion, as well as the report of situations that
generated anxiety, distress, sadness, and fear, in addition to
symptoms of burnout syndrome show the negative impact
of the covid-19 pandemic on the mental health of this
population.
| Translated title of the contribution | How Final-Year Medical Students Experienced the Pandemic:: Effects on mental Health and Coping Mechanisms |
|---|---|
| Original language | Spanish |
| Pages (from-to) | 1-12 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Universitas Médica |
| Volume | 64 |
| Issue number | 4 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 15 Mar 2024 |
Keywords
- mental health
- covid-19
- defense mechanisms
- medical interns