The Impact Of COVID-19 On Pharmacy Student Stress During High-Stakes, Performance-Based Assessments in Skills-Based Courses.

Objective To compare stress levels of pharmacy students in high-stakes, performance-based assessments (PBAs) administered during skills-based laboratory courses in normal classroom environments versus pandemic classroom environments impacted by COVID-19.Methods In 2019, prior to the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) student stress levels were assessed via a voluntary, paper-based survey before and after PBAs. Students were given a modified version of this survey in 2020 during the pandemic. The 2019 and 2020 survey responses were compared utilizing Wilcoxon Rank Sum tests.Results Pharmacy students reported higher perceived stress levels before PBAs (3.78 vs. 3.45) and after PBAs (2.84 vs. 2.52) prior to the pandemic compared to amid pandemic. Students identified stress as negatively impacting their PBA performance in both years (3.42 vs. 3.1). Students had similar interest in wellness activities in both phases.Conclusion. Colleges of Pharmacy should consider implementing stress relief programs around high-stakes assessments as well as prioritizing wellness initiatives within curricula.