Psychoactive substances, anatomy and pre-pandemic COVID-19 students: prevalence of use and comparison of cross-sectional studies from the period 2011-2019 / Sustancias psicoactivas, alumnos de anatomía y prepandemia COVID-19: prevalencia de uso y comparación de estudios transversales del periodo 2011-2019

En estudios preliminares objetivamos alta prevalencia de uso de sustancias psicoactivas (SP) entre alumnos de Anatomía, con mayor impacto entre los recursantes o aquellos con actividades laborales. La causa del uso es multifactorial, pero se destacan factores de riesgo y precipitantes como la carga horaria de la currícula, exigencias de estudio, el distrés por el afrontamiento cadavérico negativo, el nuevo contexto educativo y la cantidad de horas de sueño. El objetivo fue comparar la prevalencia de uso de SP entre las cohortes de 2011-2019, con focalización en los factores determinantes conductuales. Estudio observacional, transversal y comparativo mediante encuesta estandarizada y anónima en 945 alumnos (año 2011= 122; año 2013= 158; año 2015=204; año 2017= 228; año 2019= 233). Se aplicaron parámetros estadísticos, se definió la significación como p -0.84; AA: r> -0.71). En el caso de ansiolíticos benzodiacepínicos, se asoció con falta de sueño y distrés por el afrontamiento negativo al estudio con cadáveres. En las cohortes comparadas por el lapso de 9 años hallamos alta prevalencia de uso de sustancias psicoactivas con tendencia al incremento. Las variables actividad laboral y recursante fueron determinantes para el uso de sustancias, y se asociaron cuestiones relativas a la adaptabilidad universitaria y afrontamiento de estudio negativo con el cadáver; todos con incidencia pedagógica en el proceso de enseñanza y aprendizaje.

SUMMARY: In preliminary studies, we observed a high prevalence of the use of psychoactive substances (PS) among Anatomy students, with a greater impact among recurrent students or those with work activities. The cause of use is multifactorial, but risk and precipitating factors stand out, such as the workload of the curriculum, study demands, distress due to negative cadaveric coping, the new educational context and the number of hours of sleep. The objective was to compare the prevalence of SP use between the 2011-2019 cohorts, with a focus on behavioral determinants. Observational, cross-sectional and comparative study using a standardized and anonymous survey in 945 students (year 2011= 122; year 2013= 158; year 2015=204; year 2017= 228; year 2019= 233). Statistical parameters were applied, significance was defined as p -0.84; AA: r> -0.71). In the case of benzodiazepine anxiolytics, it was associated with lack of sleep and distress due to negative coping with the study with cadavers. In the cohorts compared for a period of 9 years, we found a high prevalence of psychoactive substance use with an increasing trend. The variables work activity and recurrence were determinants for the use of substances, and issues related to university adaptability and negative study coping with the corpse were associated; all with pedagogical impact on the teaching and learning process.

Willingness to practice medicine and related influential factors among medical undergraduates during COVID-19: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: As the medical undergraduates constitute the future workforce in China, their career preferences hold a significant bearing on the quality of healthcare services, particularly in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. We aim to understand the current state of the willingness to practice medicine among medical undergraduates and to analyze the related influential factors. METHODS: During the COVID-19 epidemic, we conducted a cross-sectional survey via an online platform from February 15, 2022, to May 31, 2022, to collect participants' demographic information, psychology, and factors influencing their career choices. The general self-efficacy scale (GSES) was used to evaluate medical students' perceptions of their self-efficacy. Futhermore, we conducted multivariate logistic regression analyses to explore the influencing factors of medical undergraduates' willingness to pursure a caree in medicine. RESULTS: A total of 2348 valid questionnaires were included, and 1573 (66.99%) were willing to practice medicine for medical undergraduates after graduation. The mean GESE scores in the willingness group (2.87 ± 0.54) were significantly higher than those of the unwillingness group (2.73 ± 0.49). The multiple logistic regression showed that several factors were positively associated with willingness to practice medicine as a career, including students' GSES score (OR = 1.87), current major, household income, personal ideals (OR = 1.97), family support (OR = 1.44), high income (OR = 1.77), and social respect (OR = 2.19). Compared with those who were very afraid of COVID-19, students who did not express any fear towards the COVID-19 pandemic had a higher preference for choosing the medical profession as a career. Conversely, students thinking of high tension in the doctor-patient relationship, heavy workload, and long training were less likely to choose medical work after graduation. CONCLUSIONS: The study highlights a noteworthy prevalence of medical undergraduates who expressed their willingness to pursue medicine as a career post-graduation. Several factors, including but not limited to current major, household income, psychological factors, personal preferences, and career needs or preferences, were significantly associated with this willingness. Moreover, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical students' career choices cannot be overlooked.

The mental health of medical students in Daegu during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic.

PURPOSE: In February 2020, the first outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in Daegu, South Korea, and confirmed cases increased sharply, sparking intense anxiety among residents. This study analyzed the data of a mental health survey on students enrolled at a medical school located in Daegu in 2020. METHODS: An online survey was administered to 654 medical school students (pre-medical course: 220 students, medical course: 434 students) from August to October 2020, with 61.16% (n=400) valid responses. The questionnaire included items about COVID-19-related experiences, stress, stress resilience, anxiety, and depression. RESULTS: Of the survey participants, 15.5% had experienced unbearable stress, with the most significant stress factors (in descending order) being limited leisure activities, unusual experiences related to COVID-19, and limited social activities. Approximately 28.8% reported psychological distress, and their most experienced negative emotions were helplessness, depression, and anxiety (in descending order). The mean Beck Anxiety Inventory and Beck Depression Inventory-II scores were 2.44 and 6.08, respectively, both within normal ranges. Approximately 8.3% had mild or greater anxiety, and 15% had mild or greater depression. For students under psychological distress, the experience of unbearable stress before COVID-19 affected anxiety (odds ratio [OR], 0.198; p<0.05), and having an underlying condition affected depression (OR, 0.190; p<0.05). With respect to their psychological distress during August-October 2020 compared with that during February-March 2020 (2 months from the initial outbreak), anxiety stayed the same while depression increased and resilience decreased at a statistically significant level. CONCLUSION: It was found that some medical students were suffering from psychological difficulties related to COVID-19, and there were several risk factors for them. This finding suggests that medical schools need to not only develop academic management systems but also provide programs that can help students manage their mental health and emotions in preparation for an infectious disease pandemic.

The mediating role of psychological capital in the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Although life satisfaction is a predictor of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the mechanisms underlying this association are poorly understood. This study examined how psychological capital (PsyCap), a positive psychological state, mediated the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms among Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted at three medical universities in China. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 583 students. Depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, life satisfaction, and PsyCap were measured anonymously. A hierarchical linear regression analysis was performed to explore the effects of life satisfaction on depressive and anxiety symptoms. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to examine how PsyCap mediates the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: Life satisfaction was positively associated with PsyCap and its four components. There were significant negative associations between life satisfaction, psychological capital, resilience, optimism, and depressive and anxiety symptoms among medical students. Self-efficacy was negatively associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. Psychological capital (a×b = -0.3201, BCa 95% CI: -0.3899, -0.2446; a×b = -0.2749, BCa 95% CI: -0.3817, -0.1996), resilience (a×b = -0.2103, BCa 95% CI: -0.2727, -0.1580; a×b = -0.1871, BCa 95% CI: -0.2520, -0.1414), optimism (a×b = -0.2100, BCa 95% CI: -0.3388, -0.1150; a×b = -0.1998, BCa 95% CI: -0.3307, -0.0980), and self-efficacy (a×b = -0.0916, BCa 95% CI: 0.0048, 0.11629; a×b = 0.1352, BCa 95% CI: 0.0336, 0.2117) significantly mediated the association between life satisfaction and depressive and anxiety symptoms. LIMITATIONS: This was a cross-sectional study, and causal relationships between the variables could not be ascertained. Self-reported questionnaire instruments were used for data collection, which may have recall bias. CONCLUSIONS: Life satisfaction and PsyCap can be used as positive resources to reduce depressive and anxiety symptoms among third-year Chinese medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological capital and its components (self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) partially mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and depressive symptoms, and completely mediated the relationship between life satisfaction and anxiety symptoms. Therefore, improving life satisfaction and investing in psychological capital (especially self-efficacy, resilience, and optimism) should be included in the prevention and treatment of depressive and anxiety symptoms among third-year Chinese medical students. Additional attention is needed to pay for self-efficacy in such disadvantageous contexts.

The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on enrollment in undergraduate health-related studies in Spain.

The aim of this study was to determine whether the pandemic has reinforced the choice of pursuing health-related bachelor's degrees, and to identify underlying factors that could contribute to that impact. This is a cross-sectional study using an online survey of 2,344 students of nursing, physiotherapy, medicine, psychology and podiatry who started health-related bachelor's degrees after the COVID-19 outbreak in Spanish higher education institutions. The pandemic influenced the choice of these studies by increasing the desire to help others (33.2%), by increasing citizenship values (28.4%), and by increasing the desire to contribute to improving the situation of the country (27.5%). Women had a significantly greater influence on the increase in social values related to the practice of the profession produced by the pandemic, whereas men and the bachelor's degree in podiatry were more influenced by salary prospects. An increased desire to help others was significantly higher among women and nursing and medical students. Podiatry and psychology were the degrees were most influenced by the pandemic, as more students decided to pursue them, something they had previously doubted, while in nursing, psychology, and medicine the pandemic reinforced their interest in pursuing the degree the most. Students personally affected by COVID-19 reported being more influenced in reconsidering their professional path and in reinforcing their desire to pursue the health-related studies.

The prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms among first-year and fifth-year medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Medical students have higher risk of psychological disorders due to the relatively stressful environment. Educators are becoming increasingly aware of the impact of stresses on the students general well-being. The objective of the current study was to examine the prevalence of and risk factors for depressive and anxiety symptoms among first-year and fifth-year medical students. Additionally, we aimed to determine whether the COVID-19 pandemic has affected students' mental well-being. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was performed at the College of Medicine at King Saud University between September 2020 and January 2021. The target population was first-year and fifth-year medical students. Depressive symptoms were screened using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), while anxiety symptoms were screened using the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder assessment (GAD-7). Students were also directly asked about the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on their mental well-being. Outcomes were compared between groups using the chi-squared test and Student's t test. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to identify factors associated with depressive and anxiety symptoms. RESULTS: A total of 182 medical students were included. Depressive symptoms (52.9% versus 35.8%, p = 0.020) and anxiety symptoms (35.6% versus 26.3%, p = 0.176) were higher in the first-year students than in the fifth-year students. Approximately 19.2% of the students were worried about acquiring COVID-19, 49.4% were worried about academic performance, and 30.8% were feeling sad, depressed or anxious during the COVID-19 pandemic. Independent risk factors for depressive symptoms included having concomitant anxiety, being worried about acquiring COVID-19, being worried about academic performance, and feeling sad, depressed or anxious. Independent risk factors for anxiety included having a lower grade point average and having concomitant depressive symptoms. CONCLUSION: Medical students have an alarmingly high prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, which might have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. There is a need for a special mental health program targeting new and current medical students.

Understanding of professionalism among medical students in the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic - a qualitative monocentric study.

Objective: The existing literature indicates that medical students' understanding of professionalism is influenced by internal and external factors. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether the early phase of the pandemic affected the understanding of professionalism among medical students at the University of Ulm. Methods: In May and June 2020, semi-structured telephone interviews were conducted with 21 students (in the 8th and 9th semester) at the Medical Faculty of the University of Ulm. The interviews were transcribed and analyzed by a qualitative content analysis according to Mayring. Results: The results showed shifts in students' perception of the importance of certain aspects of medical professionalism. Not only competency in the disciplines hygiene, virology, and microbiology came to the fore, but also personal qualities such as "radiating a sense of calm", empathy, and altruism; communicative competency; and the capacity for reflection. The students also perceived changes in the expectations placed on them. More emphasis was placed on their roles as scientific or medical advisors and as helpers in the health care system, a change that was sometimes emotionally stressful. With respect to the study objective, both limiting and supporting factors were named. For example, the clarification of the relevance of the medical professional was motivating. Conclusion: The study showed that students' understanding of professionalism depends on context, as was suggested by earlier studies in experts. The perception of changed role expectations may thereby also play a role. One consequence of the findings may be to address such dynamics in suitable curricular events and discuss them with students to prevent them proceeding in an uncontrolled manner.

Implications of practical activities in the Skills and Simulation Laboratory on students' motivation and feelings. / Implicaciones de las actividades prácticas en el Laboratorio de Habilidades y Simulación relacionadas con la motivación y los sentimientos de los estudiantes.

to verify the implications of practical activities in the Skills and Simulation Laboratory on the motivation and feelings expressed by undergraduate students when returning to face-to-face activities after the social isolation caused by COVID-19 pandemic. a quasi-experimental study, with a single group and of the pre- and post-test type, carried out through an educational intervention based on skills training on medication administration and venipuncture, with medical students from a Brazilian public university. The sample was comprised by 47 students. The instruments of students' characterization and self-perceived feelings and the Situational Motivation Scale were used for data collection. in the sample, 98% mentioned the lack of practical activities during the pandemic. The most frequently described feeling was anxiety. After carrying out the activity, there was a change in the frequency of expressed feelings, although there was no significant change in motivational levels. External Regulation (5.1 - 5.6), Identified Regulation (6.1 - 6.4) and Intrinsic Motivation (5.6 - 6.0) presented high results, showing similarity to the feelings reported by the learners. motivation is essential for effective learning and the use of active methodologies reinforces skills built in an affective way in the students facing the learning process.

verificar las implicaciones de las actividades prácticas en el Laboratorio de Habilidad y Simulación relacionadas con la motivación y los sentimientos expresados por los estudiantes universitarios cuando regresan a las actividades presenciales luego del aislamiento social ocasionado por la pandemia del COVID-19. estudio cuasiexperimental, con un solo grupo y del tipo pre y postest, realizado mediante una intervención educativa basada en el entrenamiento de habilidades en administración de medicamentos y venopunción, con estudiantes de medicina de una universidad pública brasileña. La muestra estuvo conformada por 47 estudiantes. Para la recolección de datos se utilizaron los instrumentos de caracterización y autopercepción de los individuos y la Escala de Motivación Situacional. en la muestra, el 98% mencionó la falta de actividades prácticas durante la pandemia. El sentimiento descrito con mayor frecuencia fue la ansiedad. Después de realizar la actividad, hubo un cambio en la frecuencia de los sentimientos expresados, aunque no hubo un cambio significativo en los niveles de motivación. Regulación Externa (5,1 ­ 5,6), Regulación Identificada (6,1 ­ 6,4) y Motivación Intrínseca (5,6 ­ 6,0) presentaron resultados altos, demostrando similitud con los sentimientos relatados por los estudiantes. la motivación es fundamental para un aprendizaje efectivo y el uso de metodologías activas refuerza de manera efectiva las habilidades construidas en los estudiantes frente al proceso de aprendizaje.

verificar as implicações das atividades práticas no Laboratório de Habilidade e Simulação relacionado à motivação e os sentimentos expressos pelos estudantes universitários quando regressam às atividades presenciais após o isolamento social causado pela pandemia da COVID-19. estudo quase-experimental, com um único grupo, do tipo pré e pós-teste, realizado por meio de uma intervenção educacional baseada no treino de habilidades de administração de medicamentos e punção venosa, com estudantes de medicina de uma universidade pública brasileira. A amostra foi composta por 47 estudantes. Para a coleta de dados, foram utilizados os instrumentos de caracterização dos sujeitos e sentimentos autopercebidos pelos estudantes e a Escala de Motivação Situacional. na amostra, 98% referiram falta de atividades práticas durante a pandemia. O sentimento mais frequentemente descrito foi a ansiedade. Após a realização da atividade, observou-se uma mudança na frequência dos sentimentos expressos, embora não se tenha verificado uma mudança significativa nos níveis motivacionais. A Regulação Externa (5,1 ­ 5,6), a Regulação (6,1 ­ 6,4) e a Motivação Intrínseca (5,6 ­ 6,0) apresentaram resultados elevados, demostrando semelhança com os sentimentos relatados pelos alunos. a motivação é essencial para uma aprendizagem eficaz e a utilização de metodologias ativas reforça as habilidades construídas de uma forma efetiva nos estudantes frente ao processo de aprendizagem.

The mediating role of psychological flexibility in the association of autistic-like traits with burnout and depression in medical students during clinical clerkships in Japan: a university-based cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: Burnout and depression among medical students is linked to serious problems that require appropriate solutions. Subthreshold autism traits or autistic-like traits (ALTs) may be possible factors associated with burnout and depression. The effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) for burnout and depression has been widely reported. The treatment aims to improve psychological flexibility, a concept indicating engagement in personal value-based behaviors without avoiding uncomfortable private experiences. This study examined whether ALTs were associated with burnout or depression among medical students during clinical clerkships in Japan, and then investigated what psychological flexibility processes might mediate these associations. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was administered to 284 medical students at Nagoya City University School of Medical Sciences who had been in clinical clerkships for 10 months or longer. Linear multiple regressions were performed with each burnout factor or depression as the outcome variable using validated tools measuring burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), ALT (Autism-Spectrum Quotient Japanese version-21), and psychological flexibility processes (Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire-7 and Valuing Questionnaire). Additionally, a mediation analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling. RESULTS: A linear multiple regression analysis that controlled for age and gender found that ALTs were significantly associated with lower personal accomplishment, a factor of burnout, and depression. Lower personal accomplishment was also associated with males and lower progress toward values of the psychological flexibility process. Depression was also associated with males and higher cognitive fusion, lower progress towards values, and higher obstruction to values of the psychological flexibility process. Surprisingly, emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were not significantly associated with ALTs. The mediation analysis revealed that the relationship between ALTs and personal accomplishment was partially mediated by a process of progress toward values, while the relationship between ALTs and depression was partially mediated by both processes of progress toward values and cognitive fusion. CONCLUSIONS: ALTs were significantly associated with lower personal accomplishment of burnout and depression among medical students in clinical clerkships. Consideration should be given to the psychological flexibility processes that focus on interventions targeting psychological flexibility for medical students with ALTs to reduce burnout and depression.

COVID-19 vaccination telephone outreach: an analysis of the medical student experience.

INTRODUCTION: The COVID-19 pandemic diminished opportunities for medical students to gain clinical confidence and the ability to contribute to patient care. Our study sought out to understand the value of telephone outreach to schedule COVID-19 vaccines on medical student education. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Forty students engaged in telephone outreach targeting patients aged 65+ without active patient portals to schedule COVID-19 vaccines. Data consisted of a single administration retrospective pre/post survey inquiring about what students learned, expectations, other health-care processes that would benefit from outreach, and interest in a population health elective. Likert items were analyzed and open response analysis involved inductive coding and generation of thematic summaries by condensing codes into broader themes. Demographic data of patients called and subsequently received the vaccine were also collected. RESULTS: There were 33 survery respondents. There was a statistically significant increase in net comfortability for pre-clerkship students for documenting in Epic, providing telehealth care, counseling on common health-care myths, having challenging conversations, cold-calling patients, and developing an initial trusting relationship with patients. The majority called and who received the vaccine were non-Hispanic Black, within the high SVI category, and had Medicare and/or Medicaid. Qualitative data showed that students emphasized communication, the role of trusted messengers, the need to be open minded, and meeting patients where they are. DISCUSSION: Engaging students in telephone outreach early in the COVID-19 pandemic provided students the opportunity to develop their skills as physicians-in-training, contribute to combating the ongoing pandemic, and add value to the primary care team. This experience allowed students to practice patience, empathy, and vulnerability to understand why patients had not received the COVID-19 vaccine; this was an invaluable experience that helped students develop the skills to become empathetic and caring physicians, and supports the continued role of telehealth in future medical school curriculum.

Experiences of burnout, anxiety, and empathy among health profession students in Qatar University during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of burnout and anxiety is constantly increasing among health profession students worldwide. This study evaluates the prevalence of burnout and its relationship to anxiety and empathy during the COVID-19 pandemic among health profession students in the main governmental institution in Doha, Qatar using validated instruments. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey of health profession students using validated instruments was employed. The Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Students Survey (MBI-GS(S)) to measure burnout; The Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7) to measure anxiety; and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) to measure empathy were utilized. Descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression were used. RESULTS: Of the 1268 eligible students, 272 (21.5%) completed the online survey. Burnout was found to be prevalent amongst the students. The mean scores for the MBI-GS(S) subscales of emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and professional efficacy were 4.07, 2.63, and 3.97, respectively. Anxiety was found to be a strong predictor for burnout and burnout was positively associated with empathy. CONCLUSIONS: Findings from this study demonstrated relationships between health profession students' burnout, anxiety, and empathy. These findings might have an impact on the development of curriculum interventions to enhance student well-being. More burnout awareness and management programs that cater to the specific needs of health profession students are needed. Furthermore, findings of this study may have implications for future educational interventions during times of crisis or how this can be used to improve student experiences in normal times.

UK medical students' mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative interview study.

OBJECTIVES: To understand the impact of COVID-19 on medical students with mental health problems. DESIGN: Qualitative study employing in-depth semistructured interviews with medical students which were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: A purposive sample of 20 students originating from 8 geographically spread UK medical schools were selected, representing various mental health issues and demographic characteristics. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: (1) medical schools' response to the pandemic-schools increased awareness-raising of mental health support and increased flexibility in regards to academic requirements; (2) disruption to the medical degree-COVID-19 brought change and uncertainty to medical education and missed learning opportunities reduced students' confidence and (3) psychological consequences of the pandemic-COVID-19 had a negative impact on mental health, most notably raising stress and anxiety but also triggering new or existing conditions. CONCLUSIONS: While there were many negative aspects of the pandemic for medical students experiencing mental ill health, there were also positives. Students felt that the increased focus on mental health support during the pandemic had reduced stigma towards mental health. Given stigma has been identified as a key barrier for help-seeking in medical students, future research should investigate the longer-term impacts of the pandemic and whether medical students are more likely to seek help for mental health difficulties postpandemic.

A cross-sectional study on anxiety due to COVID-19 and its predictors among undergraduate medical students in a tertiary care teaching hospital of Kolkata, West Bengal.

Background: Medical education is recognized as stressful globally. COVID-19 pandemic is an additional source of anxiety to the medical students. Objectives: This study was conducted to assess the prevalence and to identify the factors associated with anxiety due to COVID-19 among undergraduate medical students in a teaching hospital of Kolkata, West Bengal. . Methods: An observational cross-sectional study was conducted among 363 undergraduate medical students using the stratified random sampling of a medical college from June to July 2021. Data were collected using a predesigned, pretested, and structured online questionnaire, including "Coronavirus Anxiety Scale." Descriptive statistics were used to estimate the prevalence of anxiety. Pearson's Chi-square test was performed to find out the factors associated with anxiety due to COVID-19. Results: About 25.6% of the medical students were found to have anxiety due to COVID-19. About 28.9% of them reported COVID-19 infection in family in recent past and 11.0% had themselves tested positive. Nearly 20% reported loss of family members, relatives, and close friends due to COVID-19. The factors associated with anxiety due to pandemic were socioeconomic status, social stigma, sleep disturbances, history of COVID-19 in family, loss of job. and vaccination status of family members missing practical classes and exam-related anxiety. Conclusion: The study found that one-fourth of the medical students had anxiety due to COVID-19. Social stigma due to COVID-19 and loss of job of parents were the most significant predictors. It is recommended that targeted psychological and clinical interventions need to be taken to alleviate students' anxiety due to COVID.

Physical and psychological health of medical students involved in the coronavirus disease 2019 response in Switzerland.

Students involved in the COVID-19 response reported a similar proportion of COVID-19 symptoms or confirmed diagnoses, but lower levels of anxiety, depression and burnout compared with their non-involved peers.

Are medical students happy despite unhappy conditions: a qualitative exploration of medical student cohorts during disruptive conditions.

BACKGROUND: Shortly after the World Health Organization declared the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak a worldwide pandemic, medical school governing bodies issued guidance recommending pausing clinical rotations. Prior to the availability of COVD-19 vaccines, many schools implemented exclusively online curriculums in the didactic and clinical years. These unprecedented events and paradigm changes in medical education could contribute to trainee burnout, wellness, and mental health. METHODS: This single-institution study interviewed first, second, and third-year medical students from a medical school in the southwestern United States. A semi-structured interview was conducted with paper-based Likert scale questions rating perceived happiness were administered both at the time of the interview and one year later in order to understand how their student experience and happiness were impacted. In addition, we asked participants to describe any major life events they experienced since the first interview. RESULTS: Twenty-seven volunteers participated in the original interview. Twenty-four from the original cohort participated in the one-year follow-up. Happiness as a sense of self and who you "should be" was challenged during the pandemic and changes in happiness over time were not systematic across classes. Stress was caused not only by the pandemic which was experienced by all, but by a tripartite state of individual circumstances, academic workload requirements, and the world at large. Primary themes from the interviews were clustered around the individual, learner, and future professional levels and focused on the primacy of relationships, emotional wellness, stress management, professional identity, and impacts of educational disruptions. These themes created risk factors for developing imposter syndrome. Students demonstrated resiliency across cohorts and were able to utilize a variety of strategies to achieve and maintain both physical and mental health, but the primacy of relationships both personally and professionally was noted. CONCLUSION: Medical students' identities as individual persons, a learner, and future medical professionals were all impacted by the pandemic. The results from this study suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic and changes in the learning format and environment may create a new risk factor in the development of imposter syndrome. There is also an opportunity to re-consider resources to achieve and maintain wellness during a disrupted academic environment.

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Family Life of Undergraduate and Postgraduate Medical Students.

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a heavy toll in people's life all over the world. Not only it effected the physical aspect of normal life, it also affected the day to day life in every country. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic in family life of undergraduate and postgraduate medical students. This observational research was carried out on undergraduate and postgraduate students at Mymensingh Medical College in Bangladesh, and it is of a cross-sectional descriptive research design. This study enrolled 218 undergraduate and 94 postgraduate students of Mymensingh Medical College. A self-administered semi-structured questionnaire survey was conducted to gather the views of participants on the impacts of COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic had negatively impacted student's family life. The study found that a total of 173(79.3%) undergraduate and 73(77.7%) postgraduate students reported that bondage among family member was strengthened; 101(46.3%) undergraduate and 42(44.7%) postgraduate students reported their monthly family income had decreased remarkably; 156(71.6%) undergraduate and 55(58.5%) postgraduate students reported their household expenditure had increased; 145(66.5%) undergraduate and 55(58.5%) postgraduate students believed that the overall emotional wellbeing of their families had deteriorated during the pandemic; 166(76.2%) undergraduate and 73(77.6%) postgraduate students reported that stress among their family members had increased; 174(79.8%) undergraduates and 75(79.8%) postgraduates reported that uncertainties resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic developed a sense of anxiety among their family members.This study found that conflict among family members had increased during COVID-19 pandemic. Among undergraduate students 131(60.1%) agreed and among postgraduate students 44(46.8%) agreed to this; 127(58.2%) undergraduate and 54(57.4%) postgraduate students responded the same that they became more concerned about the health of their family members.

Medical students' perception of resilience and of an innovative curriculum-based resilience skills building course: A participant-focused qualitative analysis.

BACKGROUND: Medicine is one of the most demanding academic fields with an extensive curriculum that entails plenty of potential stressors. There is sufficient evidence that medical students are more prone to psychological distress when compared to their peer group of other disciplines. Despite the established need to prioritize resilience skills building within the medical curriculum, very few medical programmes in the Middle East and North Africa region (MENA) proactively empower the students to help themselves in sustaining their mental health. The purpose of the current study is to explore the perception of medical students in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) regarding their understanding of, and personal experience with building resilience, and their engagement with the content of an innovative curriculum-based resilience skills building course, designed in alignment with the constructivism theory of education. METHOD: The current study utilized a qualitative phenomenological research design. The curriculum-based resilience skills building course, that was investigated as part of this study, is offered at a medical school in Dubai, UAE. A total of 37 students submitted reflective essays about resilience building, in general, and the respective course, in specific. The collected data was inductively analysed following a six-step framework. FINDINGS: The qualitative analysis generated three interlinked themes, namely: Awareness, Application, and Appraisal. CONCLUSION: This study showed that integrating a resilience skills building course into medical curricula is likely to be positively appraised by the students, where it raises their level of awareness and likelihood of proactively applying the learned concepts in their daily lives. This is especially true when the course is anchored in constructivism experiential learning theory and designed to foster self-directed learning.

A qualitative assessment of medical students' readiness for virtual clerkships at a Qatari university during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND: This study aims to qualitatively examine the readiness of medical students to change to virtual clerkship (VC) during the pandemic, from both the faculty and students' perspectives. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted based on the framework of readiness to change. Focus group discussions with students, and semi-structured interviews with clinical faculty members were done using appropriate online platforms. Transcripts were then analyzed using inductive-deductive approach. RESULTS: Twelve themes emerged which are (1) Perceptions about the university's decision and its communication to students, (2) A Perceived lack of clinical experience, (3) Students' role as members of the medical team facing the pandemic, (4) Student safety, (5) Quality and design of VC and the skills it offered, (6) Belief in own ability to succeed in the VC, (7) Confidence that VC would reach its goals, (8) New enhanced learning approaches, (9) Preparing students for new types of practice in the future (10) Acquired skills, 11) Academic support and communication with faculty and college, and 12) Psychological support. Medical students showed limited readiness to undertake a virtual clerkship and not play their role as healthcare professionals during the pandemic. They perceived a huge gap in gaining clinical skills virtually and asked for a quick return to training sites. CONCLUSION: Medical students were not ready for virtual clerkships. There will be a need to integrate novel learning modalities such as patient simulations and case-based learning in order to meet future demands of the medical profession and enhance the efficiency of virtual clerkships.

Association of scopophobia with online learning fatigue among medical students in Brazil.

BACKGROUND: Scopophobia can be described in the medical field as the fear of being watched or stared at. Despite the relevance of scopophobia in remote learning scenarios, which have always existed and have been largely expanded during the pandemic in medical education, studies on this topic are exceedingly rare worldwide. Hence, to fill up this gap, a cross-sectional study of medical students was developed to assess the association of scopophobia with the prevalence of online learning fatigue. METHODS: A cross-sectional, quantitative, analytical study was carried out in Medical Schools of Brazil. To assess the risk of scopophobia, questions were developed, based on the literature on the topic. The Zoom Exhaustion & Fatigue Scale (ZEF) was used, and the questions have currently been validated for Brazilian Portuguese. Logistic regression models were also used to assess the relationship of scopophobia risk and ZEF scores. RESULTS: A total of 283 students from Brazil participated in the study. The median age was 23 years, and 64% of the participants were female. In total, 14.5% were considered to be at high risk for scopophobia. It was found that after adjusting for sex, income and number of residents in the household, scopophobia and the total zoom fatigue score remained associated. For the total score, each additional point on the scale increased the chance of scopophobia by 3%, and for the overall domain, 19% (p-values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: In conclusion, this study shows a relevant prevalence of students with scopophobia, which requires a differentiated approach on the part of teachers. The causes of scopophobia are often specific and have a psychological origin that goes beyond the usual pedagogical management. Therefore, motivation strategies are necessary in a general, as well as an individualized manner, aiming to favor the improvement of the online teaching and learning process.