Digital medical education and students’ mental health: effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany
The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice
ISSN: 1755-6228
Article publication date: 27 October 2021
Issue publication date: 28 June 2022
Abstract
Purpose
Medical education was challenged and re-imagined during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine the consequent changes in medical school curricula alongside students’ mental and physical health.
Design/methodology/approach
It is observed that 549 medical students (response rate: 79.7%) from 31 of 37 public medical schools in Germany completed a cross-sectional online survey. Students answered questions regarding teaching, internet use, COVID-19 and well-being. A multivariate logistic regression examined factors associated with depressed mood, insomnia and headache.
Findings
Academic teaching moved to a virtual environment (91%), whilst practical activities were suspended or cancelled (88%). Virtual teaching modality, quantity and quality were well-perceived, yet 35% of respondents were dissatisfied with their internet connection. Consequently, students worried about the pandemic’s adverse effect on their quality as a doctor (60%) and thought about postponing their studies (30%). Students were frequently engaged in the treatment of COVID-19 patients (36%). Daily screen time was significantly associated with depressed mood, insomnia and headache. Negative changes in mental and physical health were frequently observed.
Research limitations/implications
Students’ experience with digital education during the COVID-19 pandemic was mixed. Whilst teaching modality, quantity and quality were well-perceived, students’ mental and physical health deteriorated. Further longitudinal studies investigating the impact of digital education on students’ well-being are necessary.
Practical implications
Besides teaching, faculties must quickly digitalize and strengthen social communities and offer targeted support services for students.
Originality/value
This is the first cross-sectional survey exploring medical students’ experience with virtual medical teaching alongside their mental and physical well-being in Germany.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank Mr Juan Pedro Ross and Mr Francisco Lopez for collaborating in the initial design of the study, as well as Mr Francisco Perez-Dominguez, Ms Francisca Polanco-Ilabaca and MS Fernanda Pinto-Toledo from the Universidad de Chile for facilitating the survey.Author contributions: DM: conceptualization, data curation, formal analysis, visualization, writing, editing. GK: formal analysis, visualization, writing. QS: data curation, validation, editing. Thomas Michaeli: data curation, formal analysis, writing, editing.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.Funding: Not applicable.Ethical standards: The questionnaire was approved by Universidad de Chile’s ethics committee and followed the Chilean law No 20.584. All participants gave written online consent before starting the survey. To ensure confidentiality all responses were anonymized.
Citation
Michaeli, D., Keough, G., Strotzer, Q. and Michaeli, T. (2022), "Digital medical education and students’ mental health: effects of the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany", The Journal of Mental Health Training, Education and Practice, Vol. 17 No. 4, pp. 305-322. https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-03-2021-0035
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited