First-Year Medical Student Experiences Adjusting to the Immediate Aftermath of COVID-19

Problem: The COVID-19 pandemic required rapid changes to medical curricula, forcing emergent transition to purely remote learning. At Idaho College of Osteopathic Medicine (ICOM), all in-person sessions were suspended on March 16, 2020. One course affected included the first-year, 4-week Respiratory System course which began on March 9. Methods: On the final day of the course, students were sent surveys which assessed how they adjusted academically and personally to the campus shutdown. Results: The response rate was 137/159 (86%). Students’ learning adjustments took into account changes to spaces and daily routine, their cohabitants, need for accountability, new learning resources, and anxiety. Most students were concerned about public health, the economy, and health of family and loved ones; fewer were concerned about their professional futures, restrictions on personal freedoms, and own health. Most students adjusted personally by connecting more with family, entertainment and sleep, and studying less. While a large majority of students made changes to connecting with friends and physical activity, students did not adjust uniformly.