Navigating a High-Stakes Assessment in Medical School: Students’ Lived Experiences During a Stressful Period of Preparation

Students who aim to become practicing physicians in the United States are required to demonstrate their competence with a variety of assessments during medical school, including those required to obtain a license to practice medicine. The specific challenges and stressors associated with the preparation for successful completion of licensure assessments is not well understood. To better understand students’ experiences in preparation for United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, as part of the Re-examining Exams: NBME Effort on Wellness (RENEW) research initiative, a series of eight focus groups were conducted with 33 medical school students who took the exam and received their score. The results provide a retrospective understanding of the lived experiences of aspiring medical professionals and their perceptions of the impact of a high-stakes licensure examination.