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

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.