Learning and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: experience of first year Medical students

Braghetta, Giulia Junqueira Franchi; Souza, Ana Victória Silva; Nonato, Ana Carolina; Pio, Danielle Abdel Massih

doi:10.1590/1981-5271v49.2-2024-0103

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ORIGINAL ARTICLE • Rev. bras. educ. med. 49 (2) • 2025 • https://doi.org/10.1590/1981-5271v49.2-2024-0103.ING linkcopy

Learning and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: experience of first year Medical students

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Introduction: The new coronavirus pandemic resulted in measures to contain its spread, such as the implementation of remote teaching, and affected the well-being of individuals; Thus, it becomes necessary to investigate the social and emotional consequences for students entering in 2020 at a medical school in the interior of São Paulo.

Objective: To understand the effects of the pandemic on the formation of the incoming class of an HEI in São Paulo in 2020, analyzing the academic and mental health implications of these students.

Methods: Exploratory and qualitative study using an online questionnaire, asking medical students to evaluate learning during the first year of the course, positive and negative points of remote teaching, effects on interpersonal relationships, learning and mental health. The first two authors and students who left the course between enrollment and the date of the research were excluded from the sample. The study was carried out through data analysis using Content Analysis, thematic modality.

Results: 33 students participated, 18 females and 15 males, aged between 20 and 30 years old. Content analysis identified 21 meaning cores; From them, four themes were created, dealing with the damage to the institutional process and academic performance, changes and restrictions in interpersonal relationships, the benefits and harms of using digital technologies, and the consequences of remote teaching on students’ mental health.

Final considerations: This study can provide important insights to understand the true impact of the pandemic on the quality of student training, interpersonal relationships and mental health. Based on these results, measures can be implemented to meet these students’ needs.

Keywords:
Students, Medical; Mental health; Problem-based learning; COVID-19

Theme 1: Damages caused by the pandemic to the institutional process and academic performance	Theme 2: Changes and restrictions on interpersonal relationships in the face of social isolation measures	Theme 3: Benefits and harms of the use of digital technologies in the face of the need for remote teaching in the pandemic	Theme 4: Consequence of the pandemic and remote teaching on students’ mental health
- Negative evaluation of learning, about the difficulty of adapting to the method and quality of the content taught remotely.	- Interpersonal relationships were impaired with remote teaching and distancing.	- Learning assessed as adequate, despite the difficulties of remote teaching.	- The pandemic and remote learning have caused or aggravated psychological disorders in students.
- Faculty unprepared for the pandemic.	- Remote teaching prevented the creation of a bond with the institution and the course	- Remote teaching has brought facilities and benefits because everything is done through the computer.	- The pandemic and remote teaching have caused negative feelings and damage to students’ mental health
- Online has brought a different routine to students, making it difficult to manage time and studies, the lack of separation of home and study environments, in addition to causing a certain convenience.	- With remote teaching, there was a distancing from personal relationships, restricting it to the performance of academic activities	- Learning and use of digital technologies for study	- Doubts and insecurities regarding the academic training in the face of remote teaching and its quality.
- Academic performance was hampered by the lack of interpersonal relationships.	- Interpersonal relationships were modified during the pandemic	- Remote learning brought the convenience of being at home and with the family.	- There were no negative impacts on their mental health
	- Isolation during the pandemic was necessary for people’s safety	- Positive points of online about interpersonal relationships.	- Some students sought the psychology service for support at this stage.
		- They do not see any positive points in remote teaching.	- Some students had to resort to drug treatments to treat the psychological disorders triggered or aggravated in this phase.
		- Overuse of the computer caused tiredness, exhaustion, distraction, and physical symptoms.	- Student had to perform physical exercises to distract themselves.
		- The use of the computer for all activities brought losses due to the limitations of the platforms and the internet connection.
		- Maintaining teaching during the pandemic was important.

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Associação Brasileira de Educação Médica SCN - QD 02 - BL D - Torre A - Salas 1021 e 1023 , Asa Norte | CEP: 70712-903, Brasília | DF | Brasil, Tel.: (55 61) 3024-9978 / 3024-8013 - Brasília - DF - Brazil
E-mail: rbem.abem@gmail.com

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[TFN2] Source: prepared by the authors.