Elsevier

Journal of Surgical Education

Volume 79, Issue 2, March–April 2022, Pages 330-341
Journal of Surgical Education

Original Reports
A Survey of the Impact of the COVID-19 Crisis on Skill Decay Among Surgery and Anesthesia Residents

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2021.09.005Get rights and content

Objective

The SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic has profoundly impacted healthcare delivery and strained medical training. This study explores resident and faculty perceptions regarding the impact of the COVID-19 crisis on technical skill decay of surgical and anesthesia residents. We hypothesized that many residents perceived that their technical abilities diminished due to a short period of interruption in their training.

Design

An IRB-exempt, web-based cross-sectional survey distributed to residents and faculty

Setting

Two large academic tertiary medical centers, North Shore University Hospital and Long Island Jewish Medical Center, of the Northwell Health System in New York.

Participants

General surgery, anesthesiology, plastic surgery, cardiothoracic surgery, orthopedic surgery, oral maxillofacial surgery, urology, podiatry residents and faculty.

Results

All residents reported a significant impact on their training. Residents (82%) and faculty (94%) reported a significant reduction in case volumes due to the COVID-19 pandemic (p < 0.05). 64% of residents reported a reduction in technical skills, and 75% of faculty perceived a decrease in resident technical skills. Residents were concerned about fulfilling ACGME case requirements, however faculty were more optimistic that residents would achieve level-appropriate proficiency by the conclusion of their training. Both residents and faculty felt that resident critical care skills improved as a result of redeployment to COVID-19 intensive care units (66% and 94%). Additionally, residents reported increased confidence in their ability to care for critically ill patients and positive impact on professional competencies.

Conclusions

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on residency training are multi-dimensional. The majority of surgical and anesthesia residents perceived that their technical ability diminished as a result of skill decay, whereas other skillsets improved. Longitudinal surveillance of trainees is warranted to evaluate the effect of reduced operative volume and redeployment on professional competency.

KEY WORDS

COVID-19
residency training
skill decay
surgical education

COMPETENCIES

Medical Knowledge
Professionalism
Practice-Based Learning and Improvement
Systems-Based Practice

Cited by (0)

View Abstract