Medical training affected during COVID-19 pandemic and measures to overcome it

Abstract

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected the medical training due to lockdowns and ever changing SOP’s that has resulted in cancelling elective cases and restructuring of healthcare system. In all of this, the profound effect on resident’s wellness and effects on their clinical skills have not been characterized. Methods: It is a cross-sectional survey based study done in Liaquat National Hospital. An online questionnaire comprising of 21 questions were sent using online platform and the study includes all current residents working in affiliated hospitals in Pakistan. Respondents were asked about healthcare restructuring, educational experiences and impact on their wellness. Results: A total of 120 residents participated in the study, having response rate of 46.7 percent. Gender, postgraduate year, and city were well represented within the sample. Roughly all of the residents (82.1 percent) informed the restructuring of their residency program and most of them (75 percent) were assigned in the management of Covid-19 patients. Most of the residents has likely negative (4 percent) or somewhat negative (35.7 percent) impact on their training and wellness. Overall, 85.7 percent were discontented that they will not be able meet minimum case numbers due to reduce numbers of elective procedures. Most of the residents accepted that virtual lectures from professors outside the hospital were of the greatest value. Forty-six percent of the respondents felt isolated due to social-distancing during lockdown. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic had a great amount of impact on plastic surgery resident’s education and wellness. Although reductions in elective cases may be temporary, this may represent a loss of critical clinical experience. Some effects were positive like conducting virtual meetings which have somewhat balanced the learning experience of residents.