Impact of COVID-19 on Confidence and Anxiety in Medical Students Related to Procedural Skills

During the COVID-19 pandemic, opportunities for hands-on surgical and procedural skills training and practice were significantly reduced, as many curricular activities were deferred or converted to a virtual format. This study focused on whether these changes contributed to increased anxiety and decreased confidence for medical students performing these skills.

The Surgical Skills Technology Elective Program (SSTEP) is an annual five-day intensive procedural skills program after second-year medical school. Surveys assessing anxiety and confidence with respect to procedural skills were distributed and completed before and after SSTEP in 2016 and 2022.

Pre-SSTEP scores were higher for anxiety and lower for confidence in the 2022 cohort compared to the prepandemic group. Post-SSTEP scores for anxiety and confidence were comparable between cohorts.

Curricular changes and restrictions during the pandemic likely played a major role in the 2022 cohort having more anxiety and less confidence in their skills than prepandemic cohorts. However, these changes were effectively mitigated after participation in SSTEP. Medical schools should consider using and expanding on in-person bootcamps to support those with decreased exposure to surgical and procedural skills related to resource constraints and/or curricular changes.