Student and faculty member perspectives on public health education at the Marrakech Medical School

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the pivotal role of public health. The aim of this study was to explore the perception of public health among medical students and faculty members (teachers). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the medical school of Marrakech (FMPM) in May 2020. Data collection regarding the place of public health (during the training and in the practice) was done by electronic questionnaire. The analysis was descriptive and bivariate. Results: 259 responses were received (78.4% were students). The female / male sex ratio = 1.27. Almost 98.5% believed that public health knowledge and experiences were relevant for clinical practice. The main activities that reflect public health were prevention and health promotion (81%), epidemiological surveillance and epidemic management (89.6%) (98.2% among teachers versus 87.2% among students, p = 0.009). During the pandemic, 85.7% of teachers and 77% of students developed an interest in public health (p = 0.196). Only 6.6% were interested in a career in public health. Compared to teachers, students had a positive perception during the pandemic (p = 0.001). Conclusion: The results highlight the lack of knowledge about the fields of application despite heightened sensitivity at the onset of the pandemic. Lessons can be learned in terms of improving public health training, raising awareness of the choice of this specialty and actions in favor of better visibility.

Research Activity among Academic Medical Staff during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Marrakesh

Introduction. The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted the medical academic institutions and their activities. Our aim was to describe the research activity (COVID-19-related or preexisting research) of the academic staff at the medical school in Marrakesh, Morocco. Methodology. An online survey among faculty members explored the COVID-19-related research activity as well as the impact of the pandemic on preexisting research, related challenges, and coping strategies. The form was distributed via e-mail. Data analyses involved univariate and bivariate methods. Findings. We analyzed 55 responses. A proportion of 58.2% of respondents reported conducting COVID-19-related research, while 40% reported that routine research activities were suspended as a result of the pandemic. Major challenges to research in this context were the clinical activity workload, limited access to patients, and research personnel shortage. Coping strategies included adopting remote work and using communication technologies. Conclusion. Despite the many challenges facing the academic researchers to implement COVID-19-related research and to maintain preexisting research activity, there are opportunities to promote academic medical research in the developing world alongside at the global level. Our results should help in documenting and understanding the impact of this pandemic as well as framing appropriate strategies in the future to address similar situations. © 2020 Latifa Adarmouch et al.