Teleconsultation Services by Medical Students during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in India
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Date
2025-04
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Wolters Kluwer – Medknow
Abstract
Introduction: Teleconsultation refers to interactions between a clinician and a patient providing diagnostic or therapeutic advice through electronic means. Teleconsultations effectively guide the patient’s diagnosis and treatment, minimizing the risk of disease transmission. It plays an important role when a person is not able to move out from their residence for fear of contracting the virus or is suspected of having the disease. Materials and Methods: We conducted an online survey?based study during July–August 2021 in medical students (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) of different medical colleges in India. Using Google Forms, the questionnaire was circulated to participants. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS (ver. 22). The determination of association was achieved using logistic regression for statistically significant variables (P < 0.05) on initial analysis. Results: Out of 386 students, only 98 (25.4%) had been part of teleconsultations for patients during the second wave of the COVID?19 pandemic (April–May 2021) in India. The student’s age, gender, designation, whether they received any training for teleconsultation, whether they felt they helped COVID?19 patients, and whether their studies were affected were significantly associated with the overall experience of the student. Conclusion: The provision of deployment of medical students and interns for teleconsultation services would reduce the burden of patients in hospitals as mild COVID?19 cases could be provided treatment using telemedicine facilities.
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Keywords
COVID?19 pandemic, medical students, teleconsultation, telemedicine
Citation
Dkhar Sabira Aalia, Quansar Ruqia, Malik Tazean Zahoor, Khan S. Mohammad Salim, Haq Inaamul, Noorani Qazi Imran Abid. Teleconsultation Services by Medical Students during the Second Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic in India. Acta Medica International. 2025 Apr; 12(1): 7-10