Acknowledging the value of friendships and relationships in supporting personal and professional development

ABSTRACT

Covid-19 has driven a move away from face-to-face learning and time spent on campus for all university students. This study explores social restrictions through the lens of friendships and creation of meaningful relationships for students from a widening participation (WP) background embarking upon a Medicine with Foundation Year programme. Previous studies highlight the importance of meaningful interactions in facilitating students’ personal and professional development and highlight how students from WP backgrounds often struggle forming advantageous relationships at university, missing opportunities to increase their social capital during the crucial first few years at medical school. An exploratory approach was adopted for this collaborative study to understand the impact of upon students’ lived experiences and the development of advantageous relationships. Although this is a small cohort study, and too limited for generalisations, it provides valuable insight into the negative impact of restrictions on friendships and relationship building. It highlights the value of embedding opportunities for informal interactions, networking and social activities into university programmes to enable the nurturing of relationships and friendships. As we move into a post-COVID-19 era it calls for further research into the impact of behavioural changes on communities of practice and learning through formal and social interactions.

KEYWORDS:

• Widening participation
• meaningful relationships
• professional development
• social capital
• friendships

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Correction Statement

This article has been republished with minor changes. These changes do not impact the academic content of the article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sara Smith

Sara Smith originally trained as a Biomedical Scientist in the NHS. She moved into higher education (HE) where her research has focused upon the development of pracitioner capability, innovative teaching approaches and widening access to further and higher education. She has recently returned to working for the NHS in Education, Learning and Development, NHS Highland.

Wiktoria Braszkiewicz

WIktoria is a medical student who started her studies in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. She took on the challenge of being course reps. during her FMed year, finding innovative ways to support the cohort to settle in, develop an identity and build friendships. In taking on this challenge she developed her data gathering, analysis and communication skills as well as supporting their peers in the transition to university life.

Carolina Goncalves Barbosa Neto

Carolina is a medical student who started her studies in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. She took on the challenge of being course reps. during her FMed year, finding innovative ways to support the cohort to settle in, develop an identity and build friendships. In taking on this challenge she developed her data gathering, analysis and communication skills as well as supporting their peers in the transition to university life.

Bothyna Mohammed

Bothyna is a medical student who started her studies in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. She took on the challenge of being course reps. during her FMed year, finding innovative ways to support the cohort to settle in, develop an identity and build friendships. In taking on this challenge she developed her data gathering, analysis and communication skills as well as supporting their peers in the transition to university life.

Daniel McCulla

Daniel is a medical student who started his studies in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. He took on the challenge of being course reps. during his FMed year, finding innovative ways to support the cohort to settle in, develop an identity and build friendships. In taking on this challenge he developed his data gathering, analysis and communication skills as well as supporting their peers in the transition to university life.

Martin Khechara

Martin Khechara is an Associate Professor for Engagement in science technology engineering and maths (STEM) at the University of Wolverhampton. Martin is a microbiologist, researcher and educator who has an international profile for his work in higher education. He is also a science communicator, presenter, writer, comedian, director and science theatre performer who believes in that study at university can change lives. He is a champion of social change and actively works in the community with the award-winning STEM response Team to bring the magic of STEM subjects to those that need it the most.