Neurosurgery Residents' Perspective on COVID-19: Knowledge, Readiness, and Impact of this Pandemic

Alhaj, Ahmad; Al‐Saadi, Tariq; Mohammad, Fadil; Al-Abri, Said

doi:10.1016/j.wneu.2020.05.087

Cited by 72 publications

(97 citation statements)

References 12 publications

(32 reference statements)

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“… 33 , 34 The constant fear of bringing home the virus to one’s family only adds to the trainees’ physical exhaustion and psychological stress during this time. 7 , 35 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…drafted the survey questionnaire based on previously published studies on COVID-19 and neurosurgical practice. 7 , 15 , 16 , 18 , 19 The co-authors, who are consultant neurosurgeons involved in neurosurgical training in their respective countries, vetted the questions and revised items as necessary. The final survey instrument consisted of 33 questions ( Appendix A ) and took 5 minutes to complete.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 Several letters to the editor and research articles have previously enumerated changes in neurosurgical education in North America, Europe, and Africa. 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 These data are lacking for Southeast Asian countries.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of COVID-19 on Neurosurgical Training in Southeast Asia

et al. 2020

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Objective Neurosurgery departments worldwide have been forced to restructure their training programs because of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. In this study, we describe the impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgical training in Southeast Asia. Methods We conducted an online survey among neurosurgery residents in Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand from May 22 to 31, 2020 using Google Forms. The 33-item questionnaire collected data on elective and emergency neurosurgical operations, ongoing learning activities, and health worker safety. Results A total of 298 of 470 neurosurgery residents completed the survey, equivalent to a 63% response rate. The decrease in elective neurosurgical operations in Indonesia and in the Philippines (median, 100% for both) was significantly greater compared with other countries ( P < 0.001). For emergency operations, trainees in Indonesia and Malaysia had a significantly greater reduction in their caseload (median, 80% and 70%, respectively) compared with trainees in Singapore and Thailand (median, 20% and 50%, respectively; P < 0.001). Neurosurgery residents were most concerned about the decrease in their hands-on surgical experience, uncertainty in their career advancement, and occupational safety in the workplace. Most of the residents ( n = 221, 74%) believed that the COVID-19 crisis will have a negative impact on their neurosurgical training overall. Conclusions An effective national strategy to control COVID-19 is crucial to sustain neurosurgical training and to provide essential neurosurgical services. Training programs in Southeast Asia should consider developing online learning modules and setting up simulation laboratories to allow trainees to systematically acquire knowledge and develop practical skills during these challenging times.

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“… 33 , 34 The constant fear of bringing home the virus to one’s family only adds to the trainees’ physical exhaustion and psychological stress during this time. 7 , 35 …”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Impact of COVID-19 on Neurosurgical Training in Southeast Asia

et al. 2020

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“…Early attention was appropriately placed on clinical adaptations to ensure that patients and providers had all the safeguards possible in place during COVID-19 to preserve life and “flatten the curve.” Similarly, many changes have been made to clinical neurosurgery practice and resident research and training. 1 , 2 , 3 However, efforts to minimize the significant effects on subspecialty medical student (MS) education (MSE) have received less attention but could, arguably, have longer term effects, especially on subspecialty fields. 4 , 5 …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Democratizing Access to Neurosurgical Medical Education: National Efforts in a Medical Student Training Camp During Coronavirus Disease 2019

et al. 2020

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Background National medical student surveys amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–driven subinternship cancellations have demonstrated the need for supplemental, standardized subspecialty medical education, mentorship, and career planning nationally. We have presented the first live, cross-institutional virtual medical student subspecialty training camp to deliver standardized neurosurgical educational content to medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its results on medical student anxiety and perceptions of neurosurgery. Methods The online training camp used a video conferencing platform that was open to all medical students. A post-training camp survey was administered. Results A total of 305 medical students registered for the event from 107 unique U.S. medical schools. Of the 305 medical students, 108 reported intending to apply to neurosurgery residency in 2021. The top medical student objectives for the training camp were program networking and mentorship. Of the 305 participants, 121 (39.7%) completed the post-training survey. Of the respondents, 65.0% reported improved neurosurgical knowledge, 79.8% reported decreased anxiety about subinternships and interviews, 82.5% reported increased enthusiasm about neurosurgery, and 100% desired a future annual virtual training camp because of the increased accessibility and decreased cost. This was especially important for students at institutions without home subspecialty programs and those with financial burdens. Conclusions COVID-19–driven innovations in medical education have accelerated changes that may have long been necessary. This virtual structure improved resource usage and scalability compared with in-person training, maintained social distancing, and democratized access to standardized, specialized content not often available through traditional medical curricula. Even as a supplement to in-person events, the virtual training camp model could be implemented by national medical societies, which might significantly increase medical students' preparedness for, and education in, neurosurgery and other subspecialties.

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“…Most programs have reduced resident COVID exposure risk by reducing the number of residents in the hospital at once and reducing the number of days per week that each resident works. 3 Al-Haj et al 4 reported an 80% change in studying hours during COVID-19 among neurosurgical residents. Nonetheless, the number of study hours might be affected positively or negatively.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%