Medical Students Answer the Calls, Supporting COVID-19 Response Efforts

Medical students in many states are stepping up to the plate, volunteering in various ways during the COIVD-19 pandemic. In collaboration with the San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, students from the Long School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio trade off six-hour shifts answering calls on a community hotline dedicated to epidemiology and questions about COVID-19. Joshua Hanson, M.D., the associate dean for student affairs at the medical school, recruited a team of 40 students after gauging students’ interest.

To comply with safety measures, medical students cannot have direct contact with COVID-19 patients, thus preventing them from participating in clinical rounds. However, their time and effort are now redirected to the community COVID-19 hotline.

While the pandemic has disrupted students’ academic routines, the hotline has provided an opportunity for them to help the community, learn how to interact with different people, and gain a unique perspective during this unprecedented global event. Read more about these Texas medical students on the UT Health San Antonio website.