Listening to Trainee Concerns and Suggestions During COVID-19: a Report from the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA)

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption to research activities across Canada. The Training and Capacity Building (T&CB) Program of the Canadian Consortium on Neurodegeneration in Aging (CCNA) conducted a survey between May 11(th), 2020 and May 19(th), 2020 to identify the challenges faced by CCNA trainees because of the pandemic and how to best support trainees in response to those challenges. METHODS: Graduate students and postdoctoral researchers working under the supervision of CCNA investigators (n=113) were invited to complete a web-based survey of 13 questions. Trainees were asked questions about the impact of COVID-19 on their research activities, degree progression, funding status, and suggestions for support from the T&CB Program during the COVID-19 pandemic. RESULTS: A total of 41 trainees responded to the survey (response rate: 36.3%); 83% of respondents reported that they experienced changes to their research activities as a result of COVID-19, and 50% anticipated that their degree completion would be delayed. Respondents requested information from the T&CB Program on funding for non-COVID-19 projects, alternative datasets, and short educational workshops. CONCLUSION: The majority of CCNA trainees surveyed experienced significant changes to their research activities as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The T&CB Program responded by switching to online programming and facilitating remote research. Further engagement with trainees is needed to ensure continued progress of research in age-related neurodegenerative disease in Canada post-pandemic.