UP- PGH Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Fellowship Training and COVID-19: Opportunities and Innovations

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic greatly affected training programs because of changes in patient load and service assignments. This posed certain challenges in the implementation of the pre–COVID-19 training curriculum recommendations by the Philippine Heart Association Specialty Board on Adult Cardiology. OBJECTIVE: This article describes the challenges, training adjustments and innovations, and the impact on the training program of these changes instituted by the University of the Philippines–Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) Division of Cardiovascular Medicine (DCVM) during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This is a descriptive article based on review of changes and improvements of the UP-PGH DCVM training manual and guidelines adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic. FINDINGS: The COVID-19 pandemic challenges provided opportunities for innovation of the training program. The program emphasized focus on maximizing team-based learning from every clinical encounter toward achievement of learning outcomes and competency. The training committee closely monitored the learning environment and trainee’s learning progress to achieve outcomes beyond the traditional metrics such as census and procedural numbers. It adopted online clinical encounters, conference, and case discussion. To enhance learning, virtual engagement supplemented physical encounters between consultants and training fellows assigned to various clinical rotations. Real-world research results on the impact of COVID-19 on cardiovascular health were utilized to enhance knowledge. Risk mitigation and transmission reduction strategies were adopted to ensure safety of all staff. The division also incorporated a strong wellness program to provide holistic approach to trainees’ and trainers’ health. New competencies were developed such as telemedicine, infection prevention and control, and creation of virtual patient education programs. CONCLUSION: The training institution met the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic with resiliency and unity. The adjustments and innovations in training instituted by PGH DCVM proved useful in addressing the challenges posed by the pandemic. The situation was viewed as an opportunity to innovate and pursue a better program adaptive of the ever-changing environment, toward forming competent future cardiologists by enhancing focus not only on numbers but rather on the process of achievement of learning outcomes, embracing virtual and online strategies, institutionalization of wellness program, and development of new guidelines in the approaching patient management cognizant of both health care provider and patient safety and new competencies such as patient virtual education and telemedicine in cardiology.