Journaling as an effective tool to promote metacognition and enhance study methods in a pharmacology course, during and after the pandemic.

Students positively valued the journals as a planning tool in their academic tasks. Importantly, students also positively evaluated the value of journaling as a useful tool for maintaining better physical and mental health. This is an important achievement given the emotional stress, anxiety and burn out that many medical students deal with, especially in times of the pandemic. Journaling is a cost-effective and easily implementable method in different STEM areas to promote metacognition and mental health in students.