Health workforce readiness for future pandemics: Evidence from undergraduate health sciences students in Georgia

Strengthening health workforce preparedness has become a critical public health priority in the post-COVID-19 era, particularly in countries facing workforce shortages and uneven integration of preparedness competencies. This study evaluated self-perceived pandemic preparedness among final-year biomedical and health sciences students in Georgia and examined the role of undergraduate education in preparing students for future public health emergencies.

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among final-year students from medicine, dentistry, public health, nursing, and pharmacy programs (n = 296), with nursing (n = 6) and pharmacy (n = 1) students underrepresented. An adapted questionnaire assessed self-perceived preparedness, COVID-19 response participation, willingness to engage in future public health emergencies, and educational experiences. Preparedness dimensions were identified using exploratory factor analysis, and statistical analyses included descriptive, inferential, and regression methods.

Overall preparedness was moderate (M = 3.50, SD = 1.14). Two preparedness dimensions were identified: theoretical, preventive, communicative, and clinical knowledge and clinical and practical readiness. Practical skills, infection control participation, and emergency response activities showed the strongest associations with overall preparedness (p < 0.001). Despite moderate preparedness, 84.1% of students expressed willingness to contribute to future public health emergencies, rising to 97.5% among those with COVID-19 response experience. Students with COVID-19 response experience demonstrated higher preparedness across domains. Clinical and medical training were identified as the highest priority for curricular reform (43.6%), surpassing preventive, theoretical, and communication-focused measures.

A gap exists between students' willingness to contribute during public health emergencies and their self-perceived preparedness. These findings suggest that undergraduate education may play an important role in strengthening preparedness for future public health emergencies. Greater emphasis on experiential learning, simulation-based training, and supervised participation in public health activities may help improve perceived preparedness. Georgia provides a relevant case study for countries facing similar workforce constraints and fragmented integration of preparedness competencies within undergraduate education.