THE IMPACT OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE QUALITY OF LIFE OF MBBS STUDENTS AT DECCAN COLLEGE OF MEDICAL SCIENCES, HYDERABAD, TELANGANA.

Background: COVID-19 has been recognized as an additional stressor for the general populace, particularly for medical students. It has been established that medical students exhibit elevated levels of psychological distress manifested through symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. This research aims to evaluate the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic on the quality of life of MBBS students, with a specic focus on their experiences with E-learning. Aim: The primary aim of this study was to examine the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the overall quality of life of MBBS students, with a particular focus on their e-learning experiences. Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey, executed with a sample size of 120 MBBS students amidst the second wave of the pandemic, at Deccan College of Medical Sciences. The survey employed a questionnaire disseminated online (Google Forms) to the cohort of medical students. The data were subjected to statistical analysis utilizing SPSS software. Results: The study involved 120 participants, with a higher proportion of females (57.5%) than males (42.5%). The majority were aged 20 years (38.3%) and in their 1st or 2nd year of MBBS (39.2% and 42.5%, respectively). Most participants rated their quality of life as good (70.8%) during the COVID-19 pandemic, although 15.8% reported poor sleep quality. Regarding academic performance, 55.8% felt their study quality was good, but 40.8% disagreed that e-learning was sufcient for their education. Mobile phones were the most commonly used device for elearning (40%). Conclusions: The students identied a substantial interruption to their medical education, expressed an aspiration to persist with in-person clinical rotations, and demonstrated a readiness to embrace the risk of contracting COVID19. They perceive a heightened sense of safety following their vaccination. Our innovative ndings furnish a robust basis to inform the delineation of medical student responsibilities within the clinical setting amidst the ongoing pandemic and potential future health crises.