Abstract:

Pandemics and other natural disasters impact post-secondary students differently based on the students’ circumstances such as family situation, age and maturity, and mode of delivery. This study examines the impact of COVID-19 on two different groups of Emergency Services students - 40 Emergency Medical Services students, who were studying in face-to-face programs, which required labs and clinicals and 80 Emergency Management students, whose programs were completely online. The students responded to five questions about the impact of the COVID pandemic on their studies as part of their course end evaluation. The responses were examined using thematic analysis. While the studies of face-to-face students were affected most by the interruption of classes, students from both groups were impacted by changes in childcare and work situations. Traditional students without families coped better than non-traditional older students, although maturity seemed to also be a factor. It appears that hybrid courses (partly online and partly face-to-face) are the best alternative for students who take programs that require labs and clinicals.

Keywords:

COVID-19 impact, Post-secondary studies, University students, Emergency Services, Paramedic.