International students' perspectives on medical school and internship: ‘Oh international? Are you international?’

Abstract

Background

International students account for a significant proportion of medical graduates Australia-wide, and most opting to remain in Australia for their first year of practice (Internship). Hence, understanding this particular demographic's perspectives is crucial for curriculum and workforce planning. Despite this, very few studies have addressed this demographic, and none have explored the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on international medical students specifically.

Aim

A qualitative design was used to explore the perspectives of final-year international medical students at an Australian medical school as they prepared for transition to internship during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Participants engaged in a semi-structured interview about the pandemic's personal and professional implications. The data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results

Seven out of 34 final-year international medical students at the University of Adelaide participated. The main themes identified were that isolation was magnified, institutional support was lacking and that uncertainty was challenging. The pandemic did not deter participants from pursuing an Australian internship, as Australia was considered a desirable place for internship compared to their home countries.

Conclusions

While the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the situation, many of the challenges identified by international students already existed. Issues such as social isolation, racial discrimination, financial hardship and lack of institutional support have been prevalent for decades. Insights from this study reveal a need to improve the medical school experience. Australian Universities have a responsibility to ensure fair treatment of international students by training faculty, implementing support programmes and ensuring an inclusive and culturally safe learning environment.