Health workforce readiness for future pandemics: Evidence from undergraduate health sciences students in Georgia

Dea Goderdzishvili; Elza Nikoleishvili; Dea Goderdzishvili; Elza Nikoleishvili

doi:10.3934/publichealth.2026044

AIMS Public Health

2026, Volume 13, Issue 3: 831-848. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2026044

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Research article Special Issues

Health workforce readiness for future pandemics: Evidence from undergraduate health sciences students in Georgia

Public Health and Healthcare Management Department, School of Health Sciences, The University of Georgia, Tbilisi, Georgia

Received: 23 March 2026 Revised: 21 June 2026 Accepted: 06 July 2026 Published: 06 August 2026

Background
Strengthening health workforce preparedness has become a critical public health priority in the post-COVID-19 era, particularly in countries facing workforce shortages and uneven integration of preparedness competencies. This study evaluated self-perceived pandemic preparedness among final-year biomedical and health sciences students in Georgia and examined the role of undergraduate education in preparing students for future public health emergencies.
Methods
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among final-year students from medicine, dentistry, public health, nursing, and pharmacy programs (n = 296), with nursing (n = 6) and pharmacy (n = 1) students underrepresented. An adapted questionnaire assessed self-perceived preparedness, COVID-19 response participation, willingness to engage in future public health emergencies, and educational experiences. Preparedness dimensions were identified using exploratory factor analysis, and statistical analyses included descriptive, inferential, and regression methods.
Results
Overall preparedness was moderate (M = 3.50, SD = 1.14). Two preparedness dimensions were identified: theoretical, preventive, communicative, and clinical knowledge and clinical and practical readiness. Practical skills, infection control participation, and emergency response activities showed the strongest associations with overall preparedness (p < 0.001). Despite moderate preparedness, 84.1% of students expressed willingness to contribute to future public health emergencies, rising to 97.5% among those with COVID-19 response experience. Students with COVID-19 response experience demonstrated higher preparedness across domains. Clinical and medical training were identified as the highest priority for curricular reform (43.6%), surpassing preventive, theoretical, and communication-focused measures.
Conclusions
A gap exists between students' willingness to contribute during public health emergencies and their self-perceived preparedness. These findings suggest that undergraduate education may play an important role in strengthening preparedness for future public health emergencies. Greater emphasis on experiential learning, simulation-based training, and supervised participation in public health activities may help improve perceived preparedness. Georgia provides a relevant case study for countries facing similar workforce constraints and fragmented integration of preparedness competencies within undergraduate education.
- pandemic preparedness,
- healthcare workforce,
- public health,
- undergraduate education,
- workforce readiness,
- health systems resilience,
- experiential learning,
- COVID-19,
- Georgia
Citation: Dea Goderdzishvili, Elza Nikoleishvili. Health workforce readiness for future pandemics: Evidence from undergraduate health sciences students in Georgia[J]. AIMS Public Health, 2026, 13(3): 831-848. doi: 10.3934/publichealth.2026044

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Abstract

Background

Strengthening health workforce preparedness has become a critical public health priority in the post-COVID-19 era, particularly in countries facing workforce shortages and uneven integration of preparedness competencies. This study evaluated self-perceived pandemic preparedness among final-year biomedical and health sciences students in Georgia and examined the role of undergraduate education in preparing students for future public health emergencies.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was conducted among final-year students from medicine, dentistry, public health, nursing, and pharmacy programs (n = 296), with nursing (n = 6) and pharmacy (n = 1) students underrepresented. An adapted questionnaire assessed self-perceived preparedness, COVID-19 response participation, willingness to engage in future public health emergencies, and educational experiences. Preparedness dimensions were identified using exploratory factor analysis, and statistical analyses included descriptive, inferential, and regression methods.

Results

Overall preparedness was moderate (M = 3.50, SD = 1.14). Two preparedness dimensions were identified: theoretical, preventive, communicative, and clinical knowledge and clinical and practical readiness. Practical skills, infection control participation, and emergency response activities showed the strongest associations with overall preparedness (p < 0.001). Despite moderate preparedness, 84.1% of students expressed willingness to contribute to future public health emergencies, rising to 97.5% among those with COVID-19 response experience. Students with COVID-19 response experience demonstrated higher preparedness across domains. Clinical and medical training were identified as the highest priority for curricular reform (43.6%), surpassing preventive, theoretical, and communication-focused measures.

Conclusions

A gap exists between students' willingness to contribute during public health emergencies and their self-perceived preparedness. These findings suggest that undergraduate education may play an important role in strengthening preparedness for future public health emergencies. Greater emphasis on experiential learning, simulation-based training, and supervised participation in public health activities may help improve perceived preparedness. Georgia provides a relevant case study for countries facing similar workforce constraints and fragmented integration of preparedness competencies within undergraduate education.

Abbreviations

COVID-19

Coronavirus Disease 2019

mean

standard deviation

confidence interval

EFA

exploratory factor analysis

KMO

Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin measure of sampling adequacy

SPSS

Statistical Package for the Social Sciences

IBM

International Business Machines

odds ratio

R²

coefficient of determination

alpha (level of statistical significance or Cronbach's alpha)

χ²

chi-square

η²

eta-squared

Acknowledgments

The authors extend their gratitude to the participating universities and students for their invaluable insights. We also thank several colleagues and research coordinators for their expert feedback and time. A special thank you to Dr. Mariam Jashi, Dr. Sopo Maglakelidze and Irakli Goderdzishvili. This quantitative study forms part of a broader doctoral research in Public Health that employs a mixed-methods approach to evaluate pandemic preparedness and response in biomedical and health sciences education in Georgia. Elements of the dataset have also been used in a separate mixed methods manuscript currently under review elsewhere. The present manuscript reports distinct analyses, results, and interpretations.

Authors' contributions

D.G. conceptualized and conducted the study, developed the mixed-methods design and research instruments, performed data collection and analysis, and drafted the manuscript. E.N., PhD supervisor of D.G., contributed to study design refinement, supervised the research process, oversaw ethical approval procedures, coordinated and supported questionnaire distribution, and contributed to the interpretation of findings and the discussion section.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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