Health science students can contribute before completing their education
The Health Personnel Act defines students in health education as health personnel. At UiO, there are a total of 600 students attending their last year in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry, dental care and psychology, as well as pharmacy students in their next to last year as well as all students in the specialist programs in dentistry. UiO yesterday sent lists of these health science students to the Directorate of Health.
According to the Health Personnel Act, health care students are considered part of the national emergency service. Many of UiO's students must expect to be contacted by the Directorate of Health in the coming weeks about service as reserve staff.
The information the Directorate of Health has received about UiO's students is limited to study program, year of study, name and contact information. UiO has also handed over lists of employees in, among others, pharmacy, dentistry and dental care.
The students were notified today that the Directorate of Health has received their contact information, and we ask them to contact their study program if they have questions.
UiO will make arrangements so that students who are called in as reserve staff can also take their exams.
Many different tasks
It is expected that there will be considerable demand and strain on the health care system in the near future. Not only because more and more people are being tested and admitted for the coronavirus, but also because existing health professionals are exposed to infection and must be quarantined. We expect that this will also affect psychology and dental health services.
Thus, students might not only be called in to treat patients with coronavirus infection (COVID-19), but also to fill functions where existing staff have been redeployed to other tasks or are at home in quarantine or with infection. This may include doctor's offices, primary health care, dental offices and hospitals.