The Covid-19 Student WorkForce at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai

A Model for Rapid Response in Emergency Preparedness

Bibliographic Data

ID21613178
AuthorsRohini R Bahethi (0000-0002-7041-5346, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), Rohini Bahethi (Twitter (United States), corresponding author), Benjamin Y Liu (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), Benjamin Asriel (0000-0002-9149-1524, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), James R Blum (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), Zina Huxley‐Reicher (0000-0001-8186-7754, Twitter (United States)), Zina Huxley-Reicher (Z. Huxley-Reicheris a first-year resident, Yale New Haven Hospital, New Haven, Connecticut, and triage leader, COVID-19 Student WorkForce, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.), Alexandra Z Agathis (0000-0001-5815-0181, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), Shravani Pathak (0000-0002-6768-0472, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), Michelle Willis (0000-0001-6183-3661, Twitter (United States)), Michelle Sainté Willis (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai), David Muller (0000-0003-4995-0851, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai)
Year2021
Volume96
Issue6
Pages859-863
Publication date2021-06-01
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAcademic Medicine (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1040-2446 • E-ISSN: 1938-808X
PublisherOxford University Press (OUP) (PUBLISHER)
DOI10.1097/acm.0000000000003863
PMID33264110
OpenAlexW3108376157
LanguageEN
Citations received2
References cited5

PROBLEM: In accordance with guidelines from the Association of American Medical Colleges, medical schools across the United States suspended clerkships and transitioned preclinical courses online in March 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Hospitals and health systems faced significant burdens during this time, particularly in New York City. APPROACH: Third- and fourth-year medical students at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai formed the COVID-19 Student WorkForce to connect students to essential roles in the Mount Sinai Hospital System and support physicians, staff members, researchers, and hospital operations. With the administration's support, the WorkForce grew to include over 530 medical and graduate students. A methodology was developed for clinical students to receive elective credit for these volunteer activities. OUTCOMES: From March 15, 2020, to June 14, 2020, student volunteers recorded 29,602 hours (2,277 hours per week) in 7 different task forces, which operated at 7 different hospitals throughout the health system. Volunteers included students from all years of medical school as well as PhD, master's, and nursing students. The autonomous structure of the COVID-19 Student WorkForce was unique and contributed to its ability to quickly mobilize students to necessary tasks. The group leaders collaborated with other medical schools in the New York City area, sharing best practices and resources and consulting on a variety of topics. NEXT STEPS: Going forward, the COVID-19 Student WorkForce will continue to collaborate with student leaders of other institutions and prevent volunteer burnout; transition select initiatives into structured, precepted student roles for clinical education; and maintain a state of readiness in the event of a second surge of COVID-19 infections in the New York City area

Curriculum · Disease · Family medicine · Medical education · Pandemic · Pedagogy · Political science · Preparedness · Workforce · COVID-19 and Mental Health · Higher Education Practises and Engagement · Innovations in Medical Education · Medicine · Nursing · Psychology

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