Strategies to overcome limitations in Otolaryngology residency training during the COVID-19 pandemic

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic has produced an unequaled human crisis forcing a radical reorganization in the healthcare system. Otolaryngologists are at high risk of exposure, and changes in medical and surgical activities have reduced the learning opportunity for residents and fellows. We believe that even during COVID-19 crisis it is mandatory to guarantee an optimal training, and here, we propose some strategies, based on our experience, to further increase our trainees’ learning curve. METHODS: We asked our trainees to fill out an electronic survey about several aspect of their training: a first section focused on the reduction of clinical activities and the perceived impact of the pandemic on residents’ skills; the second part outlined the type of attended training activity and the perceived benefit. RESULTS: Surgical training has been reported by our residents as the activity perceived to be the most contracted during the pandemic. According to residents’ opinion the most useful activities were dissection (n = 8, 53.4% residents) and online journal clubs/webinars (n = 7, 46.6% of residents). Residents’ suggestions included actively participating to tracheostomy procedures on SARS-CoV-2 positive patients, attending lessons held by senior consultants on basic ENT topics and promoting collegial discussion of inpatient clinical cases. CONCLUSION: Building on this dramatic experience, we must be ready for a global restructuring of the residency program to provide an adequate trainee education for the future surgeons.