"Am I even a med-student anymore?" A Mixed-Methods Study of the Impact of the Initial Disruptions Caused by the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Student Professional Identity Formation.

Purpose: Developing a professional identity requires learners to integrate themselves into the medical profession and take on the role of doctor. The impact of COVID-19 on medical education has been widely investigated, but little attention has been paid to the impact of students' professional identify formation (PIF). The goal of this study was to investigate the impact that the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic had on medical students' PIF. Materials and Methods: An embedded mixed-methods design was utilized. Focus groups were conducted with a subset of year 1-4 students and coded using thematic analysis. Year 1-2 students were surveyed about their professional identity integration in the spring of 2020. Responses were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Wilcoxon signed rank and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: Qualitative data were organized into six themes that touched on losses and challenges, reflection, and reevaluation of the physician career. Roughly 50% of MS1s and MS2s reported a change in their professional identity integration, but this was not statistically significant. Conclusions: Medical education does not occur in isolation and is influenced by disruptive local and global events. Students perceived challenges when in-person community interaction and hands-on clinical experiences were interrupted. Additionally, students reflected upon their own role and their future career goals. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-022-01652-4.

Instagram as a virtual art display for medical students.

Implication Statement We require our medical students to create art as part of a core course. Projects have historically been displayed at our health sciences library. During a rapid adjustment to virtual teaching at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, using Instagram to hold a virtual art show was a quickly implemented alternative. With student consent, course directors posted different artwork every weekday for eight weeks to a course account. By capitalizing on the visual strengths and extensive reach of the Instagram platform, we promoted our medical students' talents both locally and nationally. We plan to use Instagram and in-person displays in the future. Énoncé des implications de la recherche Dans un de leurs cours du tronc commun, nos étudiants en médecine sont amenés à faire de l'art. Avant la pandémie de la COVID-19, leurs projets étaient exposés à la bibliothèque des sciences de la santé. La solution de rechange trouvée dans le cadre d'une adaptation rapide à l'enseignement virtuel au début de la pandémie a été d'utiliser Instagram pour exposer virtuellement les œuvres. Avec le consentement des étudiants, les responsables de cours ont publié des œuvres différentes tous les jours pendant huit semaines sur un compte Instagram créé pour le cours. Tirant parti des atouts visuels et de la vaste portée de la plateforme, nous avons pu promouvoir les talents de nos étudiants en médecine tant au niveau local qu'au niveau national. À l'avenir, nous comptons combiner les expositions physiques et Instagram.