Will medical students be prioritized in coronavirus vaccine distribution?

[Skarl]

With recent news of Pfizer's vaccine showing promising data in first analysis, the question of vaccine distribution has become increasingly relevant. Frontline healthcare workers and at risk populations will obviously receive initial doses, but where do medical students fall in the queue?

Guidelines published by the CDC don't explicitly mention medical students, whom as a group don't clearly fit within either category of "frontline healthcare worker" or the "general public". M3/M4 students on the wards/doing rotations routinely contact patients, and the pandemic has had a heavy toll on their clinical education with disruption of normal clerkships and sub-Is. For M1/M2 preclinical students, the pandemic has had less impacts on education (though restrictions on in-person learning/clinical activities have certainly been detrimental), but the disruption to students' social/emotional health and community building has been particularly burdensome. But at the same time, medical students tend to be younger (lower mortality risk) and are not quite 'essential' workers until they are able to practice as physicians.

Curious to hear what other people's thoughts are about this.

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[VA Hopeful Dr]

I was a med student in 2009. We were the lowest level of clinical staff, so after doctors, nurses, radiology techs, phlebotomists but above janitorial staff, cafeteria staff, and volunteers.

I would expect similar now.

 

[Gilakend]

In the medical hierarchy, med students are just below therapy dogs.

 

[thumbz]

In the medical hierarchy, med students are just below therapy dogs.

Depends on the therapy dog - as long they're not a biter (the medical student that is)

 

[mehc012]

Depends on the therapy dog - as long they're not a biter (the medical student that is)

That makes it sound as if biting is a valued trait in medical students...

 

[Banco]

Are medical students ever prioritized for anything?

 

[Neopolymath]

That makes it sound as if biting is a valued trait in medical students...

Only in OB. Gotta be able to show some teeth back to earn respect.

 

[Neopolymath]

Are medical students ever prioritized for anything?

First one for an asschewing or professionalism talk for no reason. First one to be pissed on and told it's actually rain.

 

[samac]

Lol nah. You’ll be at the bottom of the totem pole. It seems like they’re starting with ED and emergency personnel.

 

[Tenk]

Are medical students ever prioritized for anything?

Rectals

 

[Banco]

Rectals

As recipients or practitioners?

 

[Tenk]

As recipients or practitioners?

Depends on the rotation

 

[Goro]

Depends on the rotation

 

[ExplodingUlcers]

In the medical hierarchy, med students are just below therapy dogs.

That's insulting to therapy dogs. Shame on you good sir.

 

[stickgirl390]

Link to phizer article?

 

[SurfingDoctor]

No. We prefer to save the doses for those who are currently paying back their medical school debt, not accumulating it.

 

[DrRiker]

Contrary to the consensus here, I think med students will get vaccines. It'll boil down to PR and bad publicity that would arise from a preventable medical student death.

 

[samac]

Contrary to the consensus here, I think med students will get vaccines. It'll boil down to PR and bad publicity that would arise from a preventable medical student death.

Nah. Well just continue to keep them out of covid rooms until everyone else is vaccinated.

 

[DoctwoB]

With recent news of Pfizer's vaccine showing promising data in first analysis, the question of vaccine distribution has become increasingly relevant. Frontline healthcare workers and at risk populations will obviously receive initial doses, but where do medical students fall in the queue?

Guidelines published by the CDC don't explicitly mention medical students, whom as a group don't clearly fit within either category of "frontline healthcare worker" or the "general public". M3/M4 students on the wards/doing rotations routinely contact patients, and the pandemic has had a heavy toll on their clinical education with disruption of normal clerkships and sub-Is. For M1/M2 preclinical students, the pandemic has had less impacts on education (though restrictions on in-person learning/clinical activities have certainly been detrimental), but the disruption to students' social/emotional health and community building has been particularly burdensome. But at the same time, medical students tend to be younger (lower mortality risk) and are not quite 'essential' workers until they are able to practice as physicians.

Curious to hear what other people's thoughts are about this.

Janitors may be union and demand vaccines for a safe work environment. Med students will go last and probably be charged a 1000$ COVID safety fee for all the extra PPE they’re using.

Source: was a medstudent 7 years ago

 

[Neopolymath]

Janitors may be union and demand vaccines for a safe work environment. Med students will go last and probably be charged a 1000$ COVID safety fee for all the extra PPE they’re using.

Source: was a medstudent 7 years ago

"The admin really need the vaccine to work from home so we had to use the ones for the students. But we increased tuition to cover it. Don't worry. We are in this together."

Nailed it

 

[Cornfed101]

"The admin really need the vaccine to work from home so we had to use the ones for the students. But we increased tuition to cover it. Don't worry. We are in this together."

Nailed it

The vaccine costs $1000, but we decided to raise tuition $2000 because COVID

 

[SurgDoc95]

I've actually heard 3rd/4th year med students may be part of the initial wave of vaccinations from our school. Obviously not set in stone, but encouraging

 

[wholeheartedly]

Each facility has some leeway in deciding how to distribute it within the general guidelines, based on their unique setup. We’re a rural critical access hospital with a long term care facility and assisted living facility. Our covid vaccine group plans to distribute to our covid focused care teams and long term care staff and residents as soon as we can. Then other frontline healthcare workers and high risk individuals. Then other healthcare workers. We don’t have med students, but I’d probably put you at the end of the second group.

That said, given the number of LTC CNAs and LPNs who think they’re going to get microchipped in a vaccine, I’m not sure there’s going to be fierce competition for it. We might just be taking the first willing participants.

 

[Strawberrylover]

With recent news of Pfizer's vaccine showing promising data in first analysis, the question of vaccine distribution has become increasingly relevant. Frontline healthcare workers and at risk populations will obviously receive initial doses, but where do medical students fall in the queue?

Guidelines published by the CDC don't explicitly mention medical students, whom as a group don't clearly fit within either category of "frontline healthcare worker" or the "general public". M3/M4 students on the wards/doing rotations routinely contact patients, and the pandemic has had a heavy toll on their clinical education with disruption of normal clerkships and sub-Is. For M1/M2 preclinical students, the pandemic has had less impacts on education (though restrictions on in-person learning/clinical activities have certainly been detrimental), but the disruption to students' social/emotional health and community building has been particularly burdensome. But at the same time, medical students tend to be younger (lower mortality risk) and are not quite 'essential' workers until they are able to practice as physicians.

Curious to hear what other people's thoughts are about this.

I heard that at my school, medical students on the Acting Internship or Sub-Internship are expected to be just like residents and may be told to see COVID patients. I would really hope that if this is so, we are prioritized for a vaccine.