Conducting a medical examination in the COVID-19 era: an Egyptian experience

BACKGROUND: On 12 December 2019, a severe respiratory disease was recently reported in Wuhan, known as COVID-19 caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. The coronavirus crisis has unequivocally had a marked influence on medical education, particularly in terms of the delivery of assessment. Institutions were forced to implement several changes to medical exam due to COVID-19 pandemic. Written exams were carried out online. Clinical exams were repeatedly canceled or postponed this year. Some institutions carried out clinical exams using remote OSCE stations or without patients. We present our experience in conducting the medical exam in the COVID-19 era. MAIN BODY: Medical exam of the Egyptian Fellowship was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic. The candidates were disappointed and increasingly anxious. After 1 year delay, the internal medicine board decided to carry out the exam after implementing several changes. Changes included the written and clinical exams. The medical exam was successfully conduced in the COVID-19 era. CONCLUSION: Conducting a medical exam in the COVID-19 era carries a great challenge for the institutions. Institutions should allow for some degree of flexibility when carrying out exams to prevent suffering of the candidates from the difficult circumstances.