COVID-19’s impact on faculty and staff at a School of Medicine in the US: what is the blueprint for the future?

Abstract

Background The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused unprecedented challenges within medical centers, revealing inequities embedded in the medical community and exposing fragile social support systems. While faculty and staff faced extraordinary demands in workplace duties, personal responsibilities also increased. The goal of this study was to understand the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on personal and professional activities of faculty and staff in order to illuminate current challenges and explore solutions. Methods Qualitative, semi-structured group interviews involved faculty and staff at four affiliate sites within the Department of Medicine at the University of Colorado, School of Medicine. Focus groups addressed the impact of COVID-19 on (1) Changes to roles and responsibilities at work and at home, (2) Resources utilized to manage these changes and, (3) Potential strategies for how the Department could assist faculty and staff. Thematic analysis was conducted using an inductive method at the semantic level to form themes and subthemes. Results Qualitative analysis of focus group transcripts revealed themes of: (1) Challenges and disparities experienced during the pandemic, (2) Disproportionate impact on women personally and professionally, (3) Institutional factors that contributed to wellness and burnout, and (4) Solutions and strategies to support faculty and staff. Within each of these themes were multiple subthemes including increased professional and personal demands, concern for personal safety, a sense of internal guilt, financial uncertainty, missed professional opportunities, and a negative impact on mentoring. Solutions were offered and included an emphasis on addressing preexisting inequities, the importance of community, and workplace flexibility. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic created burdens for already challenged faculty and staff in both their personal and professional lives. Swift action and advocacy by academic institutions is needed to support the lives and careers of our colleagues now and in the future.

The glass ceiling thickens: the impact of COVID-19 on academic medicine faculty in the United States

“…Many predict it will raise existing barriers to success, leading women to flounder in early career positions or leave the workforce [ 28–31 ]. A few early studies have shown that the publication gender gap has persisted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic [ 32 ], and has resulted in fewer publications by women and fewer women scientific experts and leaders being quoted in the media on the pandemic itself [ 33 , 34 ]. These publication and media biases have the potential to have long-lasting effects on gender disparities in academic medicine.…”

Knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding COVID-19 among university students and employees in Massachusetts, USA: a qualitative study

“…Similar concerns have been raised in other studies, with employees requesting a continuation of flexible pandemic policies and using the momentum of change to improve other inequitable policies. 3,5,12 University participants have reported increased physical exhaustion and anxiety or fear about both the personal health and interpersonal relationship consequences of a positive test. 3,4,21 One study found that university students who tested positive for COVID-19 were more likely to experience food insecurity or mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.…”

“…Data were analyzed using an inductive thematic approach as in prior work. 4,5,12,18,19 FGDs and interviews were recorded via Zoom; voice-to-text transcriptions were then cleaned and de-identified by study staff. Analysis was performed using Dedoose software (Version 9.0.17, 2021, Los Angeles, CA).…”

“…11 Finally, the blurring of personal and professional boundaries during the pandemic contributed to lower productivity and missed career opportunities, with disproportionate impacts on women. 12 Previous studies have had limitations including small sample sizes, limited representation from participants accessing testing programs, over-representation of health-conscious students following policies, and data collection early in the pandemic (July-October 2020). [3][4][5][6]12 The objective of this study was to explore and contextualize student and employee knowledge, attitudes, and practices related to COVID-19 and university COVID-19 policies.…”

“…11 Finally, the blurring of personal and professional boundaries during the pandemic contributed to lower productivity and missed career opportunities, with disproportionate impacts on women. 12…”