Impact of Virtual Resources and Effect of COVID-19 Pandemic on Plastic Surgery Residency and Training among Residents in Southern Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Despite the increased usage of virtual, nonphysical resources for medical education during the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, plastic surgical training still suffered adversely in some aspects. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to explore the overall impact of virtual resources and effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on plastic surgery training among residents in Southern Nigeria. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted among senior plastic surgery residents in southern Nigeria using a well-structured online questionnaire carried out over a 3-month period. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) software program, version 25.0. Measures were taken to significantly minimise response, answer order, and other survey research errors/bias. A pilot study was done. Consent was obtained from all participants. RESULTS: A total of 29 plastic surgery residents completed the questionnaire. Mean age was 35.15 years with standard deviation of 6.31. The response rate was 72.5%. According to a majority of the residents, there were no significant changes in the frequency of burn, hand, and facial injury cases during the pandemic; training courses on plastic surgery (44.3%) and operative cases decreased (48.3%), whereas there was a significant increase in intraoperative teaching (27.6%) as well as simulations and conferences (41.4%). Majority of the respondents also alluded to the significant financial and psychological impacts of the pandemic on residents and a significant decline in cases with general anaesthesia as compared with cases with local anaesthesia. CONCLUSION: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a mixture of significant positive and negative changes in the plastic surgery training of residents.