COVID-19: DOs and medical students share their experiences

Following President Donald Trump’s declaration of a national emergency over the growing novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, DOs and osteopathic medical students shared how COVID-19 has been affecting their professional and personal lives.

Primary care concerns

Those in private family medicine practices are concerned about remaining accessible to patients while doing their part to limit opportunities for transmission, wrote Nic James, DO, a family physician in Englewood, Florida.

“As a family med doc in Florida, more than 90% of my patients fall into the high risk category by being over 65 years old and/or having chronic medical conditions,” he wrote. “I’ve been actively limiting patient flow through my office and started utilizing virtual appointments in place of face-to-face appointments where able.”

Campus closures

Medical students are adapting to campus closures.

“I have seen a heightened sense of community and trust between students as we are asked to isolate ourselves from each other and public spaces,” wrote Tana Becker-Sievert, OMS II, the Student Government Association executive vice president at the Arkansas College of Osteopathic Medicine (ARCOM). “We have created resource sharing systems, buddy programs, and check in processes almost overnight.

“Students are coming together virtually instead of physically, we are studying in new and interesting ways, and we are working together, just not in the same space. What has originally been perceived as a world frozen in time has actually become one of the most productive and efficacious periods during my education at ARCOM.

“There will be a lot of growth from this process for myself and many of my classmates, as I expect students will discover new ways of interacting and engaging that perhaps they would not have discovered otherwise.”

Taking to Twitter

Many in the profession are sharing information, tips and insights on Twitter:

Many EDs reporting overall lower volume.

Thank you to all who are receiving and passing on the important messaging of healthcare resource stewardship.

— Rick Pescatore, DO (@Rick_Pescatore) March 17, 2020

People keep asking me how I’m doing, being in healthcare, during this time.

Honestly, I’m grateful.

Grateful for my health. Grateful for my family being smart and careful. Grateful for my job security. And grateful to be in a program that values my health and safety.

— Lindsey Migliore, DO (@DrMigliore) March 16, 2020

Who’s at greatest risk for #coronavirus complications? Watch full video here: https://t.co/g72NJobZAk pic.twitter.com/poMB1jMnFY

— Dr. Jennifer Caudle (@DrJenCaudle) March 18, 2020

Osmosis did a nice job on this COVID19 educational piece https://t.co/nByhRiKI15

— Tyler Cymet DO FACP (@tcymet) March 16, 2020

Debate continues on whether we are over or under reacting to the outbreak.

If we have done too much, we may never know.

If we haven’t done what is necessary, we will know soon and in a big way.#coronavirus #COVID19 #CoronavirusOutbreak #CoronaVirusUpdates #mondaythoughts pic.twitter.com/DqJZtwboof

— David Broder, DO (@DavidBroderDO) March 16, 2020