The Impact of COVID-19 on Surgical Training and Education

SIMPLE SUMMARY: The COVID-19 pandemic has led to countless hospitalizations and has claimed over six million lives worldwide. The impact of the pandemic on hospitals, doctors, nurses, and other staff members is well documented. Surgical trainees have been uniquely affected by the pandemic, as many were initially required to step away from surgery to care for COVID-19 patients to meet hospital demands. A significant reduction in elective surgeries also limited training opportunities. Our work investigates the short- and long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical education with respect to clinical training, didactics, and research for surgical residents, fellows, and medical students. We also discuss the impact of the pandemic on trainee mental health and wellness. ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted conventional medical education for surgical trainees with respect to clinical training, didactics, and research. While the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on surgical trainees were variable, some common themes are identifiable. As hordes of COVID-19 patients entered hospitals, many surgical trainees stepped away from their curricula and were redeployed to other hospital units to care for COVID-19 patients. Moreover, the need for social distancing limited traditional educational activities. Regarding clinical training, some trainees demonstrated reduced case logs and decreased surgical confidence. For residents, fellows, and medical students alike, most didactic education transitioned to virtual platforms, leading to an increase in remote educational resources and an increased emphasis on surgical simulation. Resident research productivity initially declined, although the onset of virtual conferences provided new opportunities for trainees to present their work. Finally, the pandemic was associated with increased anxiety, depression, and substance use for some trainees. Ultimately, we are still growing our understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic has redefined surgical training and how to best implement the lessons we have learned.