Philippine E-Journals

Factors and Experiences in Choosing BS Medical Technology Amid COVID-19: Understanding Career Paths and the Profession

Isabel D. Enriquez | Jorraine Anne R. Escaña | Mary Gail G. Gonzales | Charlene Fae C. Hafalla | Cesar M. Mendoza

Discipline: Education

 

Abstract:

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has immensely affected everyone, especially the learners who were caughtoff-guardamidthisserioushealthcrisis.Despitetherisksanddangerinvolved,learnerscontinuedtopursue and engage in the fieldofhealthsciencesevenwiththedrasticchangesinvolvedincludingtheglobalimpactand threats brought by the pandemic. The main objective of this study was to identify the different factors and contextualizetheexperiencesthatinfluencedfirstyearandsecondyearmedicaltechnologystudentsfromaprivate non-sectarian institution in the City of Manila regarding career options in the health profession during the COVID-19 pandemic. Theresearchstudyusedaconvergentparallelmixedmethodresearchdesign,withthedata collectionandanalysisdonesimultaneouslyandindependentlytoprovidearicherandcomprehensiveunderstanding ofthefactorsandexperiencesoftheparticipants.Thedatagatheringwasperformedinthesecondsemesterofthe academicyear2021-2022.Thequantitativephase,focusedonthecollectionofthedatabyusingaresearchermade instrument, Medical Technology Career Scale (MTCS) with a Cronbach's Alpha of 0.870. Using the multiple analysisofvariance(MANOVA),specificallytheutilizationofHotelling'sTrace,whose(.008)p-valueshowsthat there have been significant differencesbetweenthefirst-andsecond-yearstudents'responsesmainlyonPersonal Responsibilities(p=.034).Thequalitativephasefocusedonthecollectionofdatausingasemi-structuredinterview withanopen-endedquestionandanalyzedbythematicconstructionanalysis(TCA).Threethemeswereestablished inthisstudyaftercoding,categorization,andthematicanalysisweremade.Inconclusion,themostperceivedfactor wastheprofessionalprestigeofthemedicaltechnologyprofessionduringtheCOVID-19pandemic.Manystudents believed that the medical technology profession would help them achieve the life that they foresee despite the different circumstances that brought about by the pandemic.