JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

The development of confident and assertiveness physicians through the process of medical education is essential for effective patient care. Through medical training, future physicians obtain the knowledge and skillset necessary to accomplish this, but they may face stressors that negatively impact their mental health. This study aims to provide insights into the relationship between US medical student assertiveness and anxiety in the current pass/fail USMLE Step 1 medical education landscape. This was achieved by surveying 30 US MD student at a single Californian institution using the Simple Rathus Assertiveness Scale-Short Form and the General Anxiety Disorder Assessment 7. It was found that M1 participants were more likely to feel uncomfortable returning purchases than their M2 counterparts and that female participants were more likely to ask a loud theater couple to be quiet compared to males. These differences in responses by academic year and gender indicate areas of future study, particularly regarding the personality characteristics of current medical students and whether there are changing trends in medical student assertiveness and its association with medical student well-being.