Hand of medical staff in blue glove injecting coronavirus covid-19 vaccine

Updates regarding COVID-19 – UGME program activities

Find updates regarding COVID-19

COVID Exposure - Steps to follow for students

Scorecard for determining ability to resume clinical teaching

Transitioning to Online Academic Clerkship Phases

Proposed criteria for re-engagement in clinical rotations

Principle

Key considerations

Patient safety

Would the presence of students in the clinical environment jeopardize or promote optimal patient care?

  • Would students be able to provide valuable service by “off- loading” specific aspects of care from other providers?
  • Would students increase the risk of disease transmission?
  • Would students consume valuable PPE?

Student safety

Can students be protected from, or excluded from, excessive risk?

  • Although some small risk is inherent in any clinical placement, would students be exposed to risks considered above the “norm”, or without protections and considerations that would be reasonably expected?
  • Will students be provided with the full, minimum PPE that is suggested as required by scientific knowledge with respect to COVID-19?1
  • Are there local occupational health processes in place to protect students who may be exposed to COVID-19?
  • If it is deemed essential to exclude students from some clinical situations and not others, can that exclusion be reliably achieved?
  • Do current student liability arrangements cover the current clinical environment?

Safety of teaching faculty and hospital staff

Would student placements jeopardize the safety or wellness of teaching faculty or other hospital staff?

  • Would students provide valuable service that would be of benefit to faculty or other providers?
  • Would students integrate into care teams as currently constituted during this crisis?

Learning

Can a valuable learning experience be provided?

  • Are there sufficient roles in which students can engage?
  • Do these roles have educational value?
  • To what extent is any involvement at this time a valuable and possibly unique learning experience?

Supervision

Are there sufficient clinical teaching faculty available to provide student supervision?

  • Can continuing oversight of learners be provided?
  • Can learners be assessed?
  • Are these available in all areas necessary to provide a full clerkship experience?

1 The provision of PPE should be based on accepted and scientifically based recommendations, which may differ from local clinical site recommendations. This also ensures consistency across schools.