Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Students' Academic Performance in Basic Sciences Period: A Comparative Study at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted traditional medical education, forcing a rapid shift from on-site to online learning and assessment. This study compared the academic performance of medical students in basic sciences period before and during the COVID-19 pandemic at Zahedan University of Medical Sciences, focusing on routine final tests and national basic sciences exam scores.Method: This cross-sectional study analyzed the academic performance of 320 medical students across two time periods: pre-pandemic (2018–2019) and during the pandemic (2020–2021). Data were collected from routine final test scores and national basic sciences exam scores. Statistical comparisons were made using the Chi-square test and independent t-test, as appropriate, at 0.5 level of significance.Results: No significant difference was observed in routine final test scores before (15.01 ± 1.68) and during (15.09 ± 1.53) the pandemic (P=0.7). However, national basic sciences exam scores significantly declined from 104.78 ± 17.38 (pre-pandemic) to 94.21 ± 19.31 (during the pandemic) (P=0.038), suggesting that high-stakes assessments, which are administered with more precision and under strict conditions, were more adversely affected by pandemic-related disruptions.Conclusion: The significant decline in national basic sciences exam scores during the pandemic highlights the challenges posed by COVID-19 to medical education, particularly in high-reliability assessments. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions to address the long-term impacts of the pandemic on medical students' academic performance and preparedness for future challenges.