Coronavirus has caused a very much unwanted evolution in our world. It has evolved many things. Our daily routines, our work life, our school life, the economy, and the medical world have had more change in one month than they have had in our entire lives. It’s insane how much everything has changed, and will change after the pandemic is over. 

Doctors, nurse, physician assistants, and anyone that works in the medical world or at a hospital have had a major change in pace. What is usually a very stressful and busy life, has been turned on its head. Life before the pandemic was seen as a cakewalk now. A pandemic is not something our military can get rid of with guns and bombs. Our frontline heroes are now those who work in hospitals. Nothing like this has ever happened, so our country really is experiencing a new form of patriotism. “When all is said and done, perhaps we will recognize their sacrifice as true patriotism, saluting our doctors and nurses, genuflecting and saying, “Thank you for your service,” as we now do for military veterans. We will give them guaranteed health benefits and corporate discounts, and build statues and have holidays for this new class of people who sacrifice their health and their lives for ours” (Coronavirus will change the world. Here’s How, Politico magazine). I believe this to be a good thing. Our health professionals should be recognized for their dedication and bravery. Patriotism should not just be about blowing things up and shooting people. While our soldiers are incredible and dedicated as well, it is a nice change of pace to recognize those who help maintain the health and balance in our society. 

Another major change is the medical school process. Students (doctors and nurses) are graduating early to get on the front lines in order to help. “The newly created California Health Corps will recruit health care providers, including medical students nearing completion of their studies, to address what the governor called the “human capital surge” that the state will need to ensure an adequate workforce is available to assist in the state’s pandemic response” (Kelly Cannon, As Coronavirus Patients Surge, Medical Students Rushed into Practice to Fight Pandemic, ABC News). Imagine being thrown into the middle of a pandemic to start your medical career. It is extremely noble and brave of them. I believe this pandemic shows we need more help in the medical professions. We need more doctors and nurses. What we have right now is not sufficient enough, and I believe the virus has exposed this. I know medical schools are starting to try out accelerated programs, which consist of three years instead of four. I believe in two years when I attend medical school this could be normal. I hope it is this way. It will help get more doctors into the medical field and save the students money. 

Just as our soldiers experience trauma and PTSD, I believe this could be common among medical professionals after the pandemic. The scale of death and destruction they are witnessing is like nothing before. “Physicians are not used to doing triage, to choosing who gets lifesaving support and who does not, explains G. Richard Holt” (Jillian Mock, Psychological Trauma Is the Next Crisis for Coronavirus Health Workers, Scientific American). Doctors around the world are being forced to decide who gets a ventilator and who does not. This means they are picking who lives and dies. Imagine the trauma this would cause. “Dr. Breen, 49, did not have a history of mental illness, her father said. But he said that when he last spoke with her, she seemed detached, and he could tell something was wrong. She had described to him an onslaught of patients who were dying before they could even be taken out of ambulances” (Ali Watkins, Top E.R. Doctor Who Treated Virus Patients Dies by Suicide, New York Times). This is an example of the toll this pandemic is playing on the health professions. Dr. Breen never had a history of mental illness, but the things she saw and witnessed affected her terribly. What a tragic loss. Psychological help is at an all-time high. Not only just medical professionals but people who have had the virus or even people who have been couped up in their houses for months. 

The world as we know it has changed. It has evolved. Many tragic things have occurred, but there are always things to be learned. I believe we have learned a lot. Enough to ensure that a pandemic of this scale will never happen again. 

-Max Pickles

Works Cited 

ABC News, ABC News Network, abcnews.go.com/Health/coronavirus-patients-surge-medical-students-rushed-practice-fight/story?id=69782734.

“Coronavirus Will Change the World Permanently. Here’s How.” POLITICO, www.politico.com/news/magazine/2020/03/19/coronavirus-effect-economy-life-society-analysis-covid-135579.

Mock, Jillian. “Psychological Trauma Is the Next Crisis for Coronavirus Health Workers.” Scientific American, Scientific American, 28 Apr. 2020, www.scientificamerican.com/article/psychological-trauma-is-the-next-crisis-for-coronavirus-health-workers/.

Watkins, Ali, et al. “Top E.R. Doctor Who Treated Virus Patients Dies by Suicide.” The New York Times, The New York Times, 27 Apr. 2020, http://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/27/nyregion/new-york-city-doctor-suicide-coronavirus.html.