feeCOVID19 Support Tasks for Medical Students
This document is intended to crowdsource suggestions of support tasks that medical students can offer as COVID19 cases place increased demand on the healthcare system. We hope that we can learn from each other’s experiences as we respond together in these times of uncertainty. The tasks below have been offered as brainstorms from various members of the community and are not intended as suggestions or endorsements within your local context.
General principles for institutions soliciting medical student assistance: (in-progress)
Best practices for students organizing support: (in-progress)
Other useful resources:
Tasks | Places Enacted Examples/Sample Forms | Notes on Implementation |
Social Media Outreach | @MedStudentCOVID | Group effort to allow for a centralized location for people to contact all of us. Associated gmail medstudents.vs.corona@gmail.com email directly to get added to incoming requests list etc or to help with social media outreach |
Individual Program Websites | Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine | |
Support for HCWs | ||
Child care Grocery delivery Pharmacy pickup Meal preparation Pet care | Non-specific “dashboards”: Healthcare Workers Childcare Co-op: Home City/institution-specific signup forms (with backend matching): Cities: US Institutions: *Can schools please indicate “LCME-adherent” next to the school. Weill Cornell is prohibiting this unless LCME-adherent and we want to understand whether other programs are consistent with these guidelines (your school administrations deemed the program to be consistent and then approved) and what your programs look like. Please also indicate your email next to your program so I can reach out directly. In assisting, you will be helping establish the first of these in NYC per the list below. My email is noahfeit@gmail.com if you’d rather reach out directly.
Canadian Institutions:
Direct housestaff-student spreadsheets:
| LCME has restrictions on students performing “personal tasks” for residents or attendings. Update: 4/3/20 statement: https://lcme.org/wp-content/uploads/filebase/April-3-2020-The-Role-of-Currently-Enrolled-Medical-Students-in-Volunteer-and-Paid-Clinical-Work-Settings-Beyond-the-Purview-of-Their-Own-Medical-Schools.pdf Adding a note here (please delete if clutter!) to reach everyone rapidly! We are working on a childcare initiative at Vanderbilt, and our deans reached out to LCME to check in with them to see how we could go about this so that we do not violate this requirement. This requirement is usually to keep medical students from being asked to do things like pick up dry-cleaning. Schools are assessed on this important metric during accreditation reviews, so I’m including this to help you help your school not get in any hot water just in case. You can reach me at catherine.m.havemann@vanderbilt.edu with any questions, or at @CatieHavemann. I’m not personally a great stickler for rule and regulations, especially at a time like this, BUT this work is incredibly valuable and important and I want all of us to have every chance for it to continue successfully, unimpeded, and without anything but positive consequences! Most importantly: LCME SAID YES, with these necessary recommendations:
Student-side: - May want to use official institutional emails when soliciting sign-ups from students to prevent random people from joining on. - Students may need to update availability as responsibilities shift/change. - Consider reaching out to allied schools (dental, nursing, public health, PhD programs) for people-power. Staff-side: - Note we may not be able to guarantee complex childcare needs (e.g. disabilities, large families). - Who gets priority for matching (e.g. residents, fellows, attendings, other HCWs)? Matching: - Decide matching process - e.g. 1:1 volunteer to family matching? - Decide whether providers should be able to see list of students to choose someone they know. - Clarify what responsibilities students are expected to take on (e.g. distance learning if schools are closed?) - Facebook group/blog where parents could post needs and students could respond? Infection risk: - Students are high exposure risk, which has been a concern to some medical school administrations since this involves going to grocery stores, homes, etc. |
Coordinate PPE donation efforts from local businesses or organizations | New York City University of Colorado Case Western/Cleveland (use Georgetown link for contact info) UMass Stony Brook university University of Hawaii Other Examples: University of Michigan (contact) University of Arizona University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Student-run PPE Donation Drive Wayne State University | Applicable especially in areas with impending/known PPE shortages. Local needs may vary, but typically there is strong demand for N95s, gowns, and goggles/eye protection. Sources include: - Labs - Restaurants - Industrial sites (esp. for masks) - Nail salons - Dentists (if closed) - Veterinarians Ideas: - Determine local needs - Coordinate with hospital EHS heads - Set up centralized collection place (usually a loading dock) |
Build PPE | Rutgers-NJMS | Ideas: Create sewing kit team: https://www.craftpassion.com/face-mask-sewing-pattern/ 3D printers: |
Tulane | Tulane: Have med students/communities contribute: https://www.wxyz.com/news/how-to-make-a-homemade-face-mask-to-help-prevent-the-spread-of-coronavirus We are also doing an extensive lit review of materials for PPE, will share once formatted etc | |
NYC (Columbia) | Coordinate efforts by med students, engineers, industry to build and distribute PPE: COVID-19 PPE task force spreadsheet Open source document about our activities: https://docs.google.com/document/u/3/d/1-71FJTmI1Q1kjSDLP0EegMERjg_0kk_7UfaRE4r66Mg/mobilebasic | |
Stony Brook university | iCreate lab 3D printing face shields https://news.stonybrook.edu/sb_medicine/stony-brook-ingenuity-takes-on-coronavirus/ | |
The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine Student-led PPE Drive & Training | https://sites.google.com/view/vtcovid/donate This PPE Donation Drive is being run by medical students at the University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine. The University of Vermont Medical Center can use N95 respirators, gowns, gloves, bouffants, and cloth masks that are manufactured or sewn using guidelines on the CDC’s website, and we will collaborate with the College and the State of Vermont to redistribute the remainder. Also - another project re: PPE: Opportunities for students to volunteer (compiled document): Service Projects - UVM Medical Center Become a Donning and Doffing of PPE Trainer
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NOTE: | Formlabs is running a service to “match” manufacturers with hospitals/projects in need of equipment. Organizations in need of equipment, as well as manufacturers (i.e. companies or just individuals with a 3D printer) should be directed to complete this form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe015Ylohgm7hE5lRsekdK01_OqElYeSAzqyHx7HbOmrJ_MjQ/viewform Also of note: There are different grades of 3D printers/ink, and many hobbyists do not have the printers/materials needed to create most types of medical equipment. I would still encourage them to look for requests to fulfill, but outreach efforts would probably be better spent on industrial-grade printers. [someone with more expertise on 3D printing please feel free to expand on this with more detail] | |
Wellness Support for HCWs | Rutgers-NJMS | Ideas: --arrange puppy therapy sessions for exhausted residents (this was a request from an intern at Rutgers-NJMS) |
The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine LCOMcares Service Corps-compiled resource: DISCLAIMER We are sharing opportunities and needs in the State of Vermont. The University of Vermont has not vetted or researched these opportunities, and cannot warrant or recommend one opportunity over another. It is your sole responsibility to thoroughly evaluate any volunteer organization or opportunity before engaging. Please practice physical distancing and follow the established guidelines to keep yourself and your community safe. | Assisting healthcare workers with childcare, pet care, and shopping | |
Blood Supply Shortage | National | Ideas: Volunteer at the Red Cross performing blood draws Coordinate with local hospitals to arrange for individuals to donate blood. |
Support for Community | ||
Outreach to prevent social isolation | Yale | Yale: Reaching out to local nursing homes, etc. to connect with residents virtually. |
Alpert Medical School of Brown University | Started an AMS Virtual Visits initiative where we are reaching out to older adults in assisted living facilities and local YMCA members who have requested help in dealing with social isolation. Other schools have also joined (University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and California Northstate University) using this initiative starter guide and conversation script we created. Working on expanding it to hospice care patients. We are also reaching out to local elementary schools to help keep kids and youth safe and engaged, and are providing support in taking care of local school gardens while schools are closed.. | |
Geisel | Geisel: Reaching out to nursing homes, faith-based organizations, and other community groups across the Upper Valley to assess need and connect student volunteers | |
Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt: Working on permissions to have medical students go through nursing stations to connect by phone with any patients deemed to benefit from social contact given the visitor restrictions in place for COVID19. Currently building intro script, conversational starters, etc. | |
TouroCOM-Harlem | Touro:Virtual Human interaction with elderly residents at Harlem Center for Nursing & Rehab However, each of the residents has tablets in their rooms with Skype (video chat) capability. | |
UNM | UNM: phone calls with elderly folks quarantined in nursing homes | |
University of Colorado | Colorado: Facetime chatting with VA patients, phone calls with SNF residents and staffing a psychiatry hotline for peer support | |
The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine LCOMcares Service Corps | Local Community initiatives student-coordinated:
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Tulane | Tulane: setting up regular calls with seniors in New Orleans without strong support systems in collaboration with the New Orleans Council on Aging | |
UMass | UMass: setting up 1:1 calls in all languages to local nursing homes and senior centers | |
Stony Brook University | RSOM: Setting up calls, grocery and essential medication delivery to elderly in Stony Brook system (geriatrics dept. Patient pool to start) | |
Virginia Commonwealth University | Reaching out to local assisted living facilities to identify residents who are experiencing social isolation who will be paired with student volunteers (open to all health professional schools) to do weekly phone calls; launched a Senior Hotline service in May Writing cards to residents in assisted living facilities without individual phone access and for hospital inpatients (given COVID-19 visitor restrictions) | |
Create information sheets with local/regional resources | Please reach out to covidinfosheetnyc@gmail.com if there are other updates or resources you would like to see. | |
Unofficial student and wider community collaborative guide, distribution by local monthly paper and with “New Orleans Community Resource Guide for Resistance and Renewal” | ||
University of Colorado | Colorado: working with public schools/dept of public health | |
University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine LCOMcares Service Corps - COVID-19 Initiative | The Larner College of Medicine LCOMcares Service Corps COVI-19 Initiative has compiled local, regional and national resources for our communities | |
Tulane | Tulane: organizing through medical students, public health students, community leaders and doctors for mass distribution For undocumented persons, please see this link (a national resource that was recently shared on a Tulane class FB page) | |
Medical Educational Activities | ||
Help migrate pre-clinical or clinical coursework online | University of Colorado | |
Collate peer reviewed, evidence based information regarding COVID-19 for HCWs on social media | Harvard: COVID-19 Medical Student Curriculum UC San Diego: Solutions WUSTL Crowdsourced Summaries (form, submissions) UNC: Primary Care Physician Handout to standardize telemed care/follow-up | Lit review through 19/3/20 from REACTing (France): https://reacting.inserm.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/Literature_COVID2019_19-03-2020.pdf |
Clinical (No Direct Contact) | ||
Infection Control/Occupational Health | ||
Translate and post COVID19 signage/literature | Harvard: COVID19 Health Literacy Project (Sign Up) | |
Assist with N95 fit testing | NYU University of Michigan | |
Reinforce appropriate donning/doffing of PPE | University of Colorado University of North Carolina | |
“On The Wards” | ||
Medical Student Virtual Scribe Program | University of California San Diego School of Medicine | Assign students to clinical teams virtually to lessen physician work- load by writing discharge summaries from home Contact: Alicia Asturias, MS3 (aasturia@health.ucsd.edu) Program Overview and Starter Pack Here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1PHcEEVQAiuA3M70FhrgcO5hMjFrwWOAYDBM-v4E_26Y/edit?usp=sharing |
Non-Clinical Department Assistance | ||
Assist with sample processing | University of Colorado | (Likely to be limited by CLIA lab regulations and student experience.) |
Assist with pharmacy orders | Icahn SOM at Mount Sinai | Sinai: Students helping stock pharmacies and take inventory (can get elective credit for volunteer efforts) |
Assist with blood donation drives / encourage donation | General link to set up appointment to donate to American Red Cross. | |
Yale | Yale: Many local blood banks are running low given the cancellation of blood drives. | |
Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt: Particularly encourage for blood drives that do social distancing between donors. | |
University of Colorado | Colorado: Encouraging students to donate (not for course credit), students organizing blood drives | |
Mercer University | Coordinating blood drives with the ARC and regional health department in Savannah | |
Northwestern University | Arranging blood drives on campus as well with campus partners. Put together a comprehensive info document + social media tools to educate and encourage people to donate blood. http://www.bit.ly/bloodcrisis | |
Wayne State University | Encouraging volunteers to help with local blood drives or donate through the Red Cross and Versiti. The blood drives are not officially coordinated through the university. Versiti link: https://www.versiti.org/ | |
Assist with Hospital Call Screening | University of Michigan | Medical students are being trained to fill these roles, esp for overnight shifts, to free up nurses and other allied health professionals to be available in the hospital for other duties. |
Non-COVID19 Clinical Assistance | ||
Help with patient calls | Alpert Medical School (Brown) Icahn SOM at Mount Sinai NYU University of Michigan USF | E.g. calling back patients with lab results, to cancel/reschedule non-urgent appointments and elective procedures (Sinai & Brown) U of M: helping with prenatal calls for the entire OB dept, including interpreter services when needed |
COVID19-Specific Assistance | ||
Staff COVID19 hotlines (i.e. FAQs for public) | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt: students currently staffing Poison Center Hotline |
Columbia University | Columbia: students to take over staffing public COVID hotline to relieve PAs of responsibility, remote | |
Rutgers-NJMS | Rutgers-NJMS: staff hotline at NJ PIES, weekday afternoon shifts. Will work with NJ Poison Infection & Education System (NJPIES, https://twitter.com/NJPoisonCenter) | |
Emory | Emory: Students working at in-person hotline facility at the VA | |
LSUHSC - SOM New Orleans | Students may volunteer with New Orleans Medical Reserve Corps (NOMRC), which operates COVID19 3-1-1 call center. | |
Miami | UMiami: students staff the Poison Control Hotline in-person -- mostly volunteer, some MS4’s for emergency med rotation credit | |
Alpert Medical School (Brown) | Brown: Students volunteer to staff the in-person Lifespan Hotline | |
Stony Brook University | Students assisting with telehealth setup and onboarding for COVID patients and regular hospital patients | |
University of Colorado Case Western Reserve University (?) Yale | ||
The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine LCOMcares Service Corps | Opportunities for students to volunteer (compiled document): Service Projects - UVM Medical Center COVID-19 Community Hotline
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UC San Diego | Students can assist with health screening, hotline/phone staffing, or telehealth support either virtually/off-site or onsite at one of our hospitals. | |
Staff COVID19 screening/triage lines | University of Colorado (halted due to social distancing restrictions) Case Western Reserve University (?) WUSTL | (Likely to be limited by student clinical knowledge, telemedicine licensing requirements.) |
LSU Shreveport | Triaging phone calls from symptomatic callers re: whether to stay at home or go into hospital | |
Coordinate with local Departments of Health | Vanderbilt | Vanderbilt: Student volunteers to conduct full phone interviews with confirmed positive COVID19 test results. School already had business operating agreement with TN Dept of Health, which helped. |
LSUHSC - SOM New Orleans | Students may volunteer with New Orleans Medical Reserve Corps (NOMRC). In particular, LSUHSC’s various health profession schools are partnering to support epidemiology. | |
Yale | Yale: Coordinating with Yale School of Public Health to assist with contact tracing. | |
UNC | UNC: assisting DHHS with contact tracing, data entry, call center | |
TouroCOM Middletown | TouroCOM Middletown: Assisting local health dept with phone calls and contact tracing | |
University of Colorado | ||
Alpert Medical School (Brown) | Brown: assisting with RIDOH with contact tracing, data entry, call center | |
Mercer University | Assisting local health department with testings, phone calls, and contact tracings | |
University of South Florida | In beginning stages of coordinating student volunteers to participate in contact tracing and political advocacy (signing petitions and sending templated letters). Organizer is Rosalie Mattiola (MS1, rmattiola@usf.edu). | |
Assisting Hospital Incident Command Centers | University of Colorado | Working with C level executives to perform guideline research, epidemiology work, graphic design, perform staff communication audits, redevelop internal website, Staffing for call center for COVID-19 related questions from staff, Writing daily staff briefings on preparation progress, Developing Telehealth resources |
Field Hospital Support | The University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine LCOMcares Service Corps | Opportunities for students to volunteer (compiled document): Service Projects - UVM Medical Center Preparation for possible clinical/paraclinical volunteering, Field Hospital
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