Submission ID 77345
| Code | OB-3-3 |
|---|---|
| At the end of this workshop, participants will be able to: | |
| Category | Medical Education |
| Type | Oral |
| Will the presenter be a: | Student |
| Title | Pre-Clerkship Medical Student Wellness During the Covid-19 Pandemic: A Canadian Cross-Sectional Study |
| Background/Purpose | The COVID-19 pandemic was a significant disruption to Canadian undergraduate medical education. While the effect of COVID-19 on clerkship curriculum has been studied, its impact on pre-clerkship Canadian medical student wellbeing and training has not been described. |
| Methods | A cross-sectional survey was designed and reviewed by content experts, including a psychiatrist, medical educators and an evaluation specialist. The survey consisted of four components: (1) Demographics, (2) WHO well-being index, (3) Sources of stress, and (4) Stress Management. |
| Results | 64.9% of participants reported increased stress levels during the pandemic. The mean WHO well-being score was 12.4, corresponding to a poor level of well-being. 30.1% of respondents reported reconsidering a career as a physician. The mean WHO score of those who reported reconsidering their career choice(M=10.1,SD=4.08) was significantly lower than of those who did not (M=13.2,SD=3.75)(p<0.001). Participants reported a negative or strong negative impact on social connection to classmates(90.4%), professional connection to faculty(89.1%) and confidence in physical exam skills(80.5%) from the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| Discussion | Before COVID-19, many studies described a high prevalence of loneliness, anxiety and depression in medical students. The pandemic introduced further stressors which we demonstrate have negatively impacted medical student's wellbeing, satisfaction in career choice, and confidence in clinical skills. To combat the long-term effects of the pandemic on mental health, faculty may use the collected data to inform ongoing support of students. Future interventions may include supplemental learning to account for opportunities lost due to the pandemic, access to formal counselling and the inclusion of student voices in faculty decision making. |
| Keyword 1 | COVID-19 |
| Keyword 2 | Mental well-being |
| Keyword 3 | Medical education |
| Abstract content most relevant to: (check all that apply) | Undergraduate Medical Education |
| Abstract Track - First Choice | Physician & Medical Student Health and Well-being |
| Authors | Darcie Wilson Darcie Wilson Anuradha Mishra Sunil Ruparelia Suzanne Zinck Darrell Kyte |
