The Effect of COVID‐19 on Medical Student Confidence

Abstract

COVID-19 has spawned an age of mask-wearing and closure of many establishments. Words such as quarantine, “the practice of separating individuals who have had contact with someone with COVID,” and social distancing, the “practice of increasing the space between individuals to reduce the risk of spreading a disease,” have become normal in conversation. With 440,000 deaths in the US, cases continue to impact the global economy. Quarantining and social distancing may be the only way to prevent spread even with vaccine distribution. Included in the closures are medical schools. With one percent of Americans employed as physicians, the country entrusts few to maintain health for millions. In a profession with personal contact, the lack of in-person training may hinder the ability of physicians to achieve this goal. The purpose of this preliminary study was to examine current physicians-in-training, and their ability to diagnose and treat pathology while adapting to the distanced education due to COVID-19. Second-year students from two medical schools were surveyed with a questionnaire comprised of eight areas of suggestion to: assess confidence in pathology recognition on licensure examinations, confidence in pathology recognition in clinical settings, and the impact of COVID-19 on clinical competency skills. Results It was found that thirteen percent of students found online lectures to be very effective, with fifty-eight percent of students claiming moderate effective. Twenty-three percent of students share improved exam performance with online school, and seventy-seven percent of students had no change. Nearly ninety-two percent of students supplement coursework with other resources. Twenty-three percent of students feel very confident in their ability to recognize pathology on boards. Zero percent of students feel very confident in recognition in clinical settings. Over fifty percent of students feel their clinical competency skills have worsened. Students do not feel confident in their ability to care for a patient. Students do, however, feel confident for exams. Online education has shown to be effective in teaching nurses, and the same applies to medical school. With 70% of responses showing online lectures are effective, the conclusion is pathology can be taught without traditional means. Suggestions include condensation of material even further, proving students do not have issue with an online format. Total replacement for in-class learning does not seem applicable. While students have confidence in exam skills, confidence disappears when in a clinical setting. There is a difference between answering a clinical vignette and solving the presentation of a vignette in the clinic. More than 50% of students do not feel prepared clinically, showing that the online medical education is inadequate for teaching the basics of clinical duties, such as history and physical exam. With all of the current cohort lacking in-person training, those who do not feel prepared clinically may rise. Research has shown that COVID-19 may be the start of a change in medicine with advancements of telehealth; however, this is from the perspective of educators. The student shows low confidence for patient care due to the pandemic. Future studies will follow this cohort as they progress from online education to clinical rotation and beyond.