Who could have predicted this situation to occur? It has affected all of us in some way. For most of us this is our first pandemic. I believe the biggest effect is on our education.
Like most I am confused and anxious of what is going on and how to move forward. There is no definite date to when things will return to normal, but both students and faculty are doing their best to adapt to the situation. We must continue to move forward and it starts with studying. Old strategies may no longer apply as all lectures are online. There is research suggesting that video and live lecture are equally effective types of learning (1). However, students who prefer live lectures are slightly disadvantaged because they are forced to change their study methods. Though remote learning might not be as engaging for some there is always a way to make it work for us. For example, the increase in pre-recorded lectures allows you to study at your own pace. It is also beneficial for commuters, such as myself, who can use the extra time to re-watch material or catch up on sleep instead of driving.
One aspect of the pandemic that will be hard to replicate is the lack of hands-on-experiences medical school entails. Without the use of our medical equipment, skin to skin contact, and standardized patient encounters student doctors may be put at a disadvantage. If techniques are not performed to their fullest extent, can they be testable? This may postpone competencies for a later time which piles on the work that is already scheduled, possibly complicating preparation for boards.
We also have limited options of places to study. I mostly studied at home before the pandemic. Now, with the rest of my family quarantined, there’s a lack of isolated study spaces. This can get complicated especially when trying to take exams at home. During my first major exam at home I experienced greater anxiety, uncontrollable loud noises from the background, and privacy issues. You can only control so much of what goes on inside your house, but what about outside? Car alarms go off and gardeners start up their lawn mowers. Yet we have to learn from our experiences finishing up last year. I employed changes to my studying and test taking environments. I communicated with my family about the need for consistent access to a study area and the need for reduction of noise during my exams. I am responsible for my education so that meant having to get creative finding a quiet place when my requests could not be met.
Quarantine also affects our motivation to study, our social interactions, and mental health. Group studying and outdoor activities are not readily available anymore. Even extracurricular activities and clubs are suspended. However, peers are helping one another and forming virtual groups to discuss material which offers alternatives to in-person group studying and communication. Not only did this allow me to better stay on track, but I also was motivated to continue as I found others from my class experiencing a similar situation. Interacting with peers and classmates is part of the medical school experience. It offers sources of motivation, accountability, support, and a greater sense of well-being.
What helped me the most during this time was my support system, namely my family. Having friends and family keeping me on track helps restore the normalcy I felt before the pandemic. Quarantine brings a sense of isolation and some of us feel lonelier and must take an active approach to feel any normalcy. Such things involve asking for help or scheduling meetings with peers. As my support system did for me, I hope to aid them as well and anyone else who is in need during these times. We are all in this together.
Rahul Natarajan, DPM 2023
Brockfeld, T., Muller, B., Laffolie, J.D. Video versus live lecture courses: a comparative evaluation of lecture types and results. Medical Education Online. 2018; 23(1): 1555434.