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Aim: This study aimed to explore the utilisation, experiences, and perceptions of telemedicine among health students, particularly in the wake of the COVID-19 pan- demic, which significantly accelerated the adoption of remote healthcare services.
Methods: An online survey was filled by 51 (+53) students to indicate current feelings towards telemedicine and the inclination towards its future application. The survey explored the frequency of telemedicine use, types of services accessed, the effectiveness and reliability of telemedicine consultations, and the specific technolo- gies employed.
Results: More than half of the respondents rated their telemedicine experiences positively, though opinions on its reliability were mixed. The most common applica- tions of telemedicine were found in psychology (i.e. chatbots). Interestingly, a signifi- cant portion of students expressed interest in participating in future telemedicine pro- jects, however optimism in applying telemedicine in their careers is lower than 10 years ago. We found that women are significantly more likely to accept and trust telehealth solutions.
Conclusions: The study reveals concerns about the perception of reliability of tel- emedicine and indicates a need for further education and evidence-based reassurances to foster trust among future healthcare professionals. The notable interest in telemedi- cine’s application of chatbots (as effect of COVID-19 lockdowns and revolution in Large Language Models) and the use of technology like smartwatches for health monitoring suggests areas for further development and integration into healthcare curricula.