Impact of COVID-19 on medical students in the United Kingdom

Medical student training in the United Kingdom has undoubtedly been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Most notably, there have been disruptions to teaching, cancellation of exams and clinical electives and the abandonment of research projects. In response, medical education has been reshaped to facilitate the continuation of studies, such as the online deliverance of course material, digital examinations and implementing welfare and financial support systems. There has also been a surge in student volunteers, often playing critical roles in primary and secondary care to support National Health Service (NHS) staff working on the frontlines. This opinion piece will aim to address the effects of COVID-19 on medical students and their training, and further evaluate how well medical schools responded to the challenges presented by the pandemic. This should highlight aspects requiring improvement and will allow medical schools to be better prepared to tackle similar dilemmas in the future.