Student experiences from around the world during the COVID-19 pandemic

In August 2020, MEdIC launched a first of its kind Global Creative Competition to bring together our global community of medical students to submit their creative responses to COVID-19. We wanted to provide a platform for medical students around the world to unite and reflect on their personal and professional experiences during the pandemic. In addition to submitting creative pieces students submitted short reflections on their experiences, and this gave us valuable insight into their experiences.

The competition received over 600 entries from 52 different countries and from this platform we have developed connections with a number of the students. Inspired by their powerful creative responses, we hosted a panel discussion on Wednesday 26 May 2021 with 6 students from around the world, sharing their experience of studying medicine during COVID-19 in many diverse and challenging contexts.

The panel consisted of the below:

Dr Sonia Kumar Director of Undergraduate Primary Care Education and Medical Education Innovation and Research Centre (MEdIC)
Nour Houbby Year 5 Medical Student, Imperial College London, United Kingdom
Akelekeh Ndah Medical Student, University of Yaoundé, Cameroon
Reuben Tee Year 3 Medical Student, University of Melbourne, Australia
Lloyd Anicier Barba Year 3 Medical Student, Far Eastern University, Philippines
Gökdeniz Aksit Year 3 Medical Student, University of Bologna, Italy
Museera Irshad Khan Year 5 Medical Student, Alfaisal University, Saudi Arabia