“I wanted to play my part in the fight against the virus” – nearly 200 students involved in PCR testing

By October over 190 students had volunteered to take part in the implementation of the increasing number of PCR screenings. As previously reported, negative PCR tests were necessary for first year students, students participating in clinical practices and those coming from abroad. Similarly, only students with a negative PCR test were able to take part in the freshmen’s camp and the opening ceremony. The assistance of volunteers was essential to ensure the seamless and quick implementation of the increasing number of screenings and the university still counts on their work due to the onset of the second wave.

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Zsombor Papp, Vice-President for Education of the Students’ Union was involved in the coordination of the volunteering students and the establishment of the screening sites.

“Organization was a huge challenge, especially because we needed to manage a lot of students in a relatively short time. We created an invitation, conducted the training required for sampling and made a video on how to perform related administrative tasks. In addition, we prepared information materials on hygiene rules and procedures, for example. All this was not in vain because students had previously assisted at the screening points at the Department of Pulmonology and the Department of Dermatology, Venerology and Dermatooncology and are still helping out at the three sampling sites at the Szent Rókus Clinical Block.”, said Zsombor Papp.  

According to the Vice-President, a lot of students volunteered from the very beginning and as they started their work at the screening points, word about the invaluable experience started to spread. The call for application was popular not only among Hungarian students, but among international students as well. Although the Students’ Union rewarded the work of the participants financially, most students volunteered to gain professional experience and to know new people. Zsombor Papp also helped out with the screenings personally and participated in H-UNCOVER, the nation-wide representative coronavirus screening project.

Zoltán Lipták, second year student at the Faculty of Medicine would have gained hands-on experience only later in his studies, so he is glad to have been able to help and gain valuable experience at the same time.

“I myself went through testing and that was when I decided to participate in the implementation of the PCR screenings. I wanted to learn how screening worked and I wanted to play my part in the fight against the virus.”, he said.

He acquired the necessary knowledge and skills required for sampling from an online and a practical course. Along with his studies he volunteers and tries to help with PCR testing and the related administrative tasks whenever he can.

Virág Bartek, a fifth year student at the Faculty of Medicine and member of the Instructor Self-Active Group, coordinated the screening of students enrolled in the freshmen’s camp. When later on it was possible to volunteer in the PCR screenings she not only joined the sampling team but helped instruct the volunteers. She learned the sampling procedure at the Department of Emergency Care where she had done voluntary work before and had completed a course, which she could use at the screening site at the Szent Rókus Clinical Block.

“We have a clinical practice course but we care for patients as a group and not individually. This is why I found sampling extremely useful and inspiring, because this was my first practical experience where I had the opportunity to be one-on-one with a patient. As a future doctor, it was very exciting to work in such setting. The sampling procedure is painless, with only minor inconveniences but some may be uncomfortable with it, mainly because some people are tense in a medical setting. They had to be comforted, and had to be talked to. I really enjoyed trying psychic leadership techniques and a lot of other things I learned during my studies.”, said Virág Bartek.

Shane Stephen McMillan is a fifth year student of Medicine and at the outbreak of the pandemic in the spring he worked in the field of health care in Ireland, his homeland. He learned the sampling procedure that he was able to use immediately upon his return to Budapest when he volunteered. He helped out with PCR testing and administrative tasks at the Department of Pulmonology.

“All help is welcome in an epidemiological situation and I am glad to have been able to contribute to disease prevention. Gaining invaluable experience is only the icing on the cake. I learnt a lot in the past months as I had the opportunity to work together with very experienced colleagues.”, he said.

According to Shane Stephen McMillan, Ireland introduced similar restrictions and regulations to those of Hungary. The outbreak of the epidemic deeply upset the people in Ireland and doctors and healthcare professionals had to adapt to the new situation very quickly.

“Right from the beginning I have taken the prevention of the spread of the virus very strictly. Fortunately, the Department of Pulmonology also gives heavy emphasis on proper disinfection, hygiene, mask use and adherence to the safety regulations. This is why no one working in that environment got infected.”, he said.

Dr. Béla Merkely, Rector thanked the volunteers for their work at the inauguration ceremony of Semmelweis University’s renovated student areas and handed over certificates to the representatives of the student associations. The certificates were given to Bálint Tripolszky, President of the Students’ Union,  Bendegúz Bódis, President of the Instructor Self-Active Group, Moin Moeinzadeh, President of  International Semmelweis Student Association and Constantin Feller, President of the  Deutschsprachige Studentenvertregung Semmelweis. The article on the event is available here.

Ádám Szabó
Photo: Attila Kovács – Semmelweis University
Translation: Ágnes Raubinek