Twelve things we have learned from medical students during the Pandemic

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. While the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every aspect of modern life, including medical education, the response has been remarkable. Ingenuity and innovation have flourished in the face of adversity. An international community of practice has blossomed in response to the challenges posed by COVID-19. Communication and sharing of information have been a hallmark of this community. In Australasia, the Medical Education Collaborative Committee hosted a series of meetings and webinars which enabled educators from all Australian and New Zealand medical schools to share experiences, solutions and resources. This group is auspiced by the Medical Deans Australia and New Zealand, which is the peak body representing professional entry-level medical education, training and research. One of these webinars focused on the student experience, featuring a panel of Australasian medical students drawn from a range of medical schools. The discussion during this session was wide reaching, including topics such as communication, co-designing curriculum changes, the importance of compassion, innovative practice, and meaningful student participation in placements. The ideas drawn from the panel discussion augmented by rich audience participation form the basis of the twelve tips presented in this paper. While derived from the experience in Australia and New Zealand, the authors believe these lessons are likely to be relevant in other jurisdictions.