Commentary: “How’s It Going?” Training Experiences of Pediatric Postdoctoral Fellows During COVID-19

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the lives and workplaces of individuals across the world substantially, in ways that are yet largely unknown. This commentary aims to provide an early snapshot of the experiences of pediatric postdoctoral fellows in academic medical settings; specifically, we will explore the impact of the pandemic on developing mastery within several competencies (e.g., research, professional development, clinical, interdisciplinary). These competencies are critical elements to fellowship to prepare for independent practice. Several models of training competencies for professional psychology and pediatric psychology exist, which focus on trainee skill development. Measures taken to minimize the spread of COVID-19 have directly impacted hospital systems and training, requiring programs to adapt competencies in various domains, such as increased familiarity with telehealth and virtual supervision. Additionally, fellows experienced an impact of the pandemic on securing employment following fellowship, conducting research and program development activities, and on cognitive flexibility and self-care. Governing bodies, such as the APA and Council of Chairs of Training Councils, have released statements and guidelines on addressing training of postdoctoral fellows including increasing flexibility of training methods, limiting in-person contact, and adjusting educational and licensing requirements. This paper offers informed commentary and diverse perspectives from current postdoctoral fellows engaged in a variety of clinical and research responsibilities regarding how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted their training. We hope this paper will provide important insight into the unique experiences of postdoctoral fellows during the capstone year(s) of training prior to independent work and inform recommendations for postdoctoral training programs.

Preparing the Next Generation of Academic Researchers During the Pandemic: Lessons from a National Mental Health Research Postdoctoral Fellowship

“…It is not surprising that findings did not significantly vary, given the vast majority of medical centers and research labs continued modified operations during both surveys. These survey findings are consistent with other reports of a shared experience across academic and medical settings, with an initial halting of in-person data collection, substantial research protocol revisions, and pivoting to remote data collection during the initial months of the pandemic, resolving into a modified, yet stable fellowship experience [6,7].…”