Preparing Medical Students for the Final Examinations During the COVID-19 Crisis: A Bumpy Ride to the Finishing Line

Abstract

In this viewpoint, we share and reflect on the experiences of final-year students preparing for a high-stakes examination at the Faculty of Medicine, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia during the COVID-19 pandemic. We highlight the new challenges faced during web-based remote learning and major differences in the clinical learning environment at our teaching hospital, which was one of the designated COVID-19 centers in Malaysia. We also document how a face-to-face professional examination was conducted for final-year medical students at our institution despite in times of a global health crisis. The lessons learned throughout this process address the importance of resilience and adaptability in unprecedented times. Further, we recommend appropriate measures that could be applied by medical schools across the world to improve the delivery of quality medical education during a crisis in the years to come.