Effect of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Performance of Undergraduate Healthcare Students During Their Internship in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction

The coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is an infectious disease that has rapidly spread on a global scale. The entire world has fought tirelessly to combat this disease, which has had a significant impact on humanity. This study examines the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the performance of undergraduate healthcare students during internship, focusing on the leadership, social, and mental aspects.

Methodology

A cross-sectional national survey was conducted among Saudi Arabia’s undergraduate health care students. From August to December of 2021, non-probability convenient sampling was employed in the study. Online-questionnaire was used to administer the three survey dimensions—mental health, social life, and leadership—as well as the demographic profiles. Correlation coefficients were utilized to establish a meaningful connection between the independent variables and the study’s domains. Moreover, the Kruskal–Wallis tests were employed to efficiently compare the medians among the independent groups.

Results

Two hundred and forty-one undergraduate healthcare students from a variety of backgrounds participated in this study. Mental health issues such as difficulty relaxing and increased irritability were prominent. From a sociological perspective, the majority of participants expressed a strong desire for more social interaction. Lastly, most participants in the leadership domain revealed satisfaction with their professional relationships. However, 50.7% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with their incentives.

Conclusion

The study concludes that addressing problems in the mental, social, and leadership domains is crucial to enhancing the resilience and overall well-being of undergraduate healthcare students during their internships. Anxiety and stress emerged as the most prevalent factors affecting these students. However, the presence of a positive relationship with their supervisors, as well as the support provided by healthcare organizations, played a vital role in helping them overcome these challenges.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• internship
• psychological well-being
• stress
• mental health
• social life
• leadership

Abbreviations

HCPs, Health care professionals; PI, Principal investigator; NCAAA, National Center for Academic Accreditation and Evaluation; SPSS, Statistical Package for Social Sciences; ANOVA, One-Way Analysis of Variance.

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.