Attitude, Awareness and Knowledge of Telemedicine Among Romanian Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

Telemedicine has become an essential element of contemporary healthcare, offering new ways to connect patients and clinicians, improve access to medical services and streamline clinical workflows. Although the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated its worldwide adoption, successful integration still relies on healthcare professionals' openness, preparedness and confidence in using these technologies. In Romania, evidence regarding medical students' knowledge and attitudes toward telemedicine remains limited. This study aimed to assess Romanian medical students' awareness, attitudes and perceived barriers regarding telemedicine and to evaluate their preparedness for integrating digital health technologies into future clinical practice.

A nationwide cross-sectional survey was conducted between 1 October and 15 November 2024 among medical students from all Romanian university centers. Data were collected via a structured online questionnaire (21 items) addressing demographics, knowledge, experiences and perceptions of telemedicine. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze associations between demographic factors, familiarity and willingness to adopt telemedicine.

A total of 608 students participated. 61.7% were familiar with telemedicine, yet only 11.7% had used it personally. Most respondents (78.8%) believed telemedicine improves healthcare quality and 84.4% supported its inclusion in medical education, although 86% had not received formal training. Reported advantages included time efficiency (81%) and improved access to specialists (76%); the main drawbacks were limited physical assessment (88.7%) and reduced interpersonal interaction (74.7%). Younger students showed significantly higher familiarity (p < 0.001).

Romanian medical students demonstrate positive attitudes toward telemedicine but lack structured training and practical exposure. Integrating telemedicine into medical curricula and improving digital infrastructure are essential to prepare future physicians for technology-enabled healthcare delivery.