The COVID-19 pandemic has led to the canceling and rescheduling of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) examinations due to the nationwide closure of the Prometric testing centers, which poses a significant challenge to medical students. The rescheduling of a high-stakes board examination leads to significant stress and potential burnout. Students may need guidance to decrease anxiety and reframe their study plan while maintaining their knowledge. Here, we combined board examination coaching tips with specific worked examples to describe how to prevent burnout, give recommendations for scheduling, and suggest practical approaches to USMLE and other high-stakes examinations.

Navigating the beginning of medical school can be challenging for students. The new learning environment and the increased volume and complexity of information presented within a short period of time demand more efficient and effective study strategies. We describe the experience and perspective of a first-year medical student, as well as the adjustment of study strategies based on the application of cognitive load theory and dual processing theory. We provide practical approaches that promote intentional and individualized studying planning and better knowledge retention, which may also improve the wellbeing of the new medical students.

Purpose: To assess the relationship between stress regarding COVID-19 and medication adherence. Patients and Methods: Older adults with ≥1 chronic condition(s) were recruited from 4 active, federally funded studies in Chicago to participate in a longitudinal telephone survey. Participants self-reported stress regarding COVID-19 in the last week. Adherence was measured via the ASK-12 survey. Results: Most participants reported feeling stressed "some of the time" (54.0%), while 18.2% felt stressed "most" or "all of the time" and 27.8% "never" felt stressed. In bivariate analyses, participants who reported being stressed "most" or "all of the time" had worse medication adherence than participants who reported being stressed "some of the time" or "never" (p < 0.001). In multivariable analyses, participants who reported feeling stressed "most" or "all of the time" had worse adherence than those who "never" felt stressed (Adjusted Least Square Mean (Standard Error): 21.3 (0.6) vs 19.7 (0.6), p=0.01). Conclusion:Stress due to COVID-19 has significantly impacted medication adherence, which has negative implications for the course of both COVID-19 and comorbid conditions. Healthcare providers should be aware of the potential impact of COVID-19 on patients' mental and physical well-being and consider ways to routinely assess patient experiences.

Sleep is important for immune function, metabolic function and physical repair. Sleep is more commonly disrupted in women compared with men and is disrupted by surgery, chemotherapy, and cancer itself, making gynecological oncology patients at higher risk of insomnia and sleep disruption. Insomnia and sleep disruption are linked to increased pain, poorer quality of life, depression, and anxiety which can all negatively affect patient outcomes. A number of environmental, behavioral, and pharmacological interventions have been investigated to improve patient sleep and aid in the recovery process. It is vital to understand and address patient sleep quality in order to give patients the highest quality care and improve outcomes.

The transition from a pre-clerkship curriculum to the clerkship year presents a need to re-examine and modify study strategies for clinical subject examinations and ultimately the United States Medical License Examination STEP 2 Clinical Knowledge. Efficient and effective learning are keys in balancing the significantly increased responsibility of patient care and decreased time for examination preparation. We describe several customizable study approaches, advice on selecting resources, and methods for applying the educational framework of deliberate practice and corrective feedback to learning during a medical student’s clerkship years. These strategies focus on intentional and outcome-driven self-assessments to identify and patch knowledge gaps tailored to the clerkship year that will empower learners.