Is Anatomy Exam Really So Stressful for Dentistry and Medical Students?

Abstract

Test-taking situation is a stressful situation in which many students experience negative emotions associated with significant neurohormonal (changes in cortisol level) and physiological changes (psychosomatic symptoms). The aim of this study was to explore the relationship between trait anxiety, test anxiety, cortisol level, psychosomatic symptoms, perception of test difficulty, and final grade. The investigation was conducted with 116 first-year dentistry and medical students while taking a very difficult written examination in anatomy course. Just before the exam, they filled in Test Anxiety Inventory, provided saliva samples, assessed the level of difficulty of the exam and the grade they expected. Immediately after the exam, they filled in Subjective Health Complaints Inventory and a week after the exam, they filled in State-Trait Anxiety Inventory and stated the grade they achieved. Exam results had significant effect on the level of trait anxiety and the assessment of exam difficulty, but there was no significant effect of exam difficulty on test anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms. Trait anxiety and test anxiety explained 49% of variance in psychosomatic symptoms. Although there were only five samples of cortisol that were analyzed in the laboratory, the level of salivary cortisol showed significant positive correlation with overall psychosomatic symptoms. Although there is no difference in expressing test anxiety and psychosomatic symptoms between successful and unsuccessful students, there is a significant contribution of test anxiety to discomfort caused by psychosomatic symptoms. There is a need for reorganization of teaching classes and exam in anatomy course.