Education During the Pandemic. Professional Training of final-year Social Work and Medical Students

Abstract

In the context of global social and economic changes caused by Covid-19 pandemic, our study wishes to bring to light the main transformations within the training process of the future specialists in the medical and social field in the context of Romanian online education.This study focused on the analysis of 211 questionnaires applied to final-year university Bachelor’s degree and Master students at the Social Work speciality and medical speciality (Physical therapy and Rehabilitation) recruited from two public universities of the north-east part of Romania. The comparative study analysed the opinions expressed by the university students regarding the training of skills and competences, the involvement in practicum and volunteering activities during the emergency period, the intention to migrate towards another profession or another geographical area. Through this study, we outline a diagnosis regarding the impact of the state of emergency on the academic training process of final-year university students. The purpose of the study is to highlight the progress of the educational process (framework, accumulation of skills and theoretical and practical knowledge, educational and professional concerns and adapting strategies) in the context of the pandemic, among students within the two specialities in their final academic year. This a crucial year for the transition towards a professional career in the healthcare fields chosen. Our results allow us to formulate the conclusion that a high degree of concern regarding the perspectives of finding a job is accompanied by a high propensity towards working abroad after finishing the studies.