Alyce Finch, 4th year Medical Student
University of Notre Dame Australia- Wagga Wagga Rural Clinical School
Introduction
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Australian government implemented geographically based containment strategies. It was hypothesised that the primary location (rural versus metropolitan) of medical students was therefore likely to influence their experience. The purpose of the research was to identify whether the impact and experience of a pandemic was different by geographic location with a view to enhancing university preparedness and facilitating interventions in response to future crises.
Method/Description
A systematic literature review was conducted. PubMed/ Medline, CINAHL and Science Direct were searched using key word and MESH search terms in the four key domains of the research question.
Results
Analysis of 21 cross-sectional observational studies identified inconclusive results with regard to the primary research question. The evidence reviewed identified that when factors mitigating social isolation were present that there was no definitive correlation with reduced psychological wellbeing except when the location of residence was in close proximity to an area of high disease prevalence.
Consclusions
The experience of a pandemic for rural medical students was negatively impacted by availability of social support and disruptions to development of peer, academic and clinical relationships. Rural location is not specifically a predictor, but given pre-pandemic evidence of social isolation in rural students, it is important for universities to engage in strategies to mitigate this risk and the risk of disease transmission.