The novel COVID-19 pandemic is affecting hundreds of countries with increasing cases and deaths. Global social distancing, quarantines, travel restrictions, and cancelations of schools and large gatherings have been instituted to decrease viral spread. This has sparked perpetual worldwide fear, panic, anxiety, depression, and distress along with concern for suicide, grief, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), guilt, and long term mental health disorders. In this paper, we review current literature in PubMed regarding psychiatric effects of COVID-19 on varying populations and what long term mental health effects warrant consideration. In the general public, significant anxiety (6.33-35.1%) is focused largely on family members and loved ones potentially contracting COVID-19; this fear is associated with female gender, student status, and various age groups, and is exacerbated by social media, self-quarantine, increased time thinking about COVID-19, and misinformation. Self-reported depression ranges from 16.5-48.3%. Other potential at risk populations include pregnant women, parents, children, the elderly, and patients with pre-existing mental health disorders. COVID-19 has driven suicide and exacerbated obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD). Medical healthcare workers have increased anxiety, depression, distress, and low sleep quality, with frontline female nurses reporting the most symptoms. Patients with COVID-19 have a high prevalence of PTSD, depression, and low quality of life. PTSD, depression, grief, and guilt are of long term concern. Overall, future and continued studies exploring the psychiatric effects of COVID-19 worldwide are critical in understanding and treating affected populations. Key words: Psychiatric, COVID-19 and mental health symptoms, anxiety, depression, suicide, grief, and PTSD

In February 2020, the governing bodies of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) announced the decision to change Step 1 score reporting from a three-digit system to pass/fail designation. Previous studies theorized that Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) will become the numerical standard by which residency directors can quickly sort through program applicants. The goal of this study is to review prior research and identify significant factors associated with Step 2 CK outcomes.A systematic literature search on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and ERIC that included articles published between 2005 and 2015 was conducted using the keywords "USMLE," "Step 2 CK," "score," "success," and "predictors."After screening the initial search yield of 3,239 articles, 52 articles were included for this review. Positively correlated factors included Step 1 score, clinical block grades, Comprehensive Clinical Science Self-Assessment (CCSSA), Comprehensive Clinical Science Examination (CCSE), and volunteerism. Factors such as clerkship sequence and pass/fail grading failed to correlate with Step 2 CK. Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score (p < 0.01) and undergraduate grade point average (GPA) (p = 0.01) positively correlated, while age displayed a negative correlation. Additionally, females typically scored higher on Step 2 CK than their male peers.The study findings suggest that continuous learning and academic success throughout medical school positively influence eventual Step 2 CK scoring. Performance on USMLE practice examinations, Step 1, and clinical evaluations serve as positive predictors for Step 2 CK scores. Interestingly, changing answers and spending more time on each question during the examination were associated with higher scores.

Background 94% of program directors cited the USMLE Step 1 score as the most important factor in determining an applicant’s competitiveness for residency. Thus, medical students are motivated to attain the highest possible score. With the recent announcement of Step 1 switching to a pass/fail standard, it is important to analyze factors which predict meeting this goal. Objective To investigate the factors which can influence or predict performance on USMLE Step 1. Methods We conducted a systematic literature search on PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and ERIC in 2019. The key words were “USMLE”, “Step-1”, “score”, “success” and “predictors.” The search included articles published between 2005 and 2019.  Studies that did not focus on Step 1 outcome or allopathic medical students in the United States were excluded. Results 275 articles were found, 29 of which met our inclusion criteria. Analysis from these articles demonstrated that predictors of USMLE Step 1 score can be divided into unmodifiable and modifiable factors. Unmodifiable factors include gender, MCAT score, pre-clinical grades and NBME/CBSE scores. Modifiable factors include taking USMLE Step 1 within two months of completing pre-clinical courses, motivation from anxiety, multiple-choice questions completed, unique Anki cards seen and complete passes of First Aid for the USMLE Step 1. Conclusion Our review suggests that although students can focus on modifiable factors to increase their score, the energy expenditure required to increase Step 1 score by one point is unrealistic. This may have impacted the NBME’s decision to change Step 1 to a pass/fail exam.

This meta-analysis examined the efficacy of positive psychology interventions (PPIs) in treating depression in 11 articles. PubMed, Web of Science, and Clinical Key were used to identify papers published from 2010 to 2020 that utilized PPIs. Key terms were "positive psychology" and "treatment of depression." Studies on adults with (a) depressive symptoms or (b) diagnosed clinical depression were included. A random-effects model was used to compare PPIs and control groups on post-vs. pre-intervention differences in depression scores. Data analysis examined Beck

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