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- Talk
- 15/09/2021
- Canada
The Educational Impact of COVID-19 at One Academic Health Centre During the First Quarter of the Pandemic
Description
In this presentation, Jonathan Doyon discusses a research project examining the educational impact of COVID-19 on orthopedic surgery residents at a Canadian academic health center during the first quarter of the pandemic (April 1 to June 30, 2020). Doyon introduces the study, thanking his coauthors and disclosing no financial conflicts of interest. The study highlights a significant decline in surgical and educational opportunities for residents during this time, raising concerns about the potential long-term effects on future healthcare providers. The researchers aimed to assess both qualitative and quantitative changes in education, and proposed new educational tools to adapt to the clinical disruptions caused by COVID-19.
The results indicated that all residents felt they benefitted from the educational tools provided, particularly the standardized morning educational sessions. However, a concerning drop in self-reported work hours and clinical exposure was noted, with many residents feeling a negative impact on their training. A retrospective case audit revealed a staggering 59.1% decrease in orthopedic cases completed during COVID Q1 compared to the previous year, with elective surgeries seeing up to a 79% reduction in caseloads. Despite these challenges, 80% of respondents felt they achieved the expected competencies by the end of their training year.
Doyon emphasizes the necessity for alternate educational delivery models in pandemic situations and notes that while some tools were effective, others require refinement for better integration into residents' routines. The presentation concludes with a call for the need to adapt orthopedic training to ensure adequate surgical exposure and clinical competency amidst ongoing challenges.