“We Signed Up for This!” — Student and Trainee Responses to the Covid-19 Pandemic

Abstract

On January 20, 2020, the first U.S. case of Covid-19 was reported in Washington State. Substantial challenges lay ahead. Covid-19 is highly contagious, it can cause severe illness, and no proven, effective treatments or vaccines are available. As leaders at the University of Washington (UW) and UW Medicine prepared for a tsunami of patients, there was extensive discussion about the role of students and trainees (residents and fellows) in our response. How should clinical and educational imperatives be balanced with their safety and well-being?