The impact of COVID-19 on the well-being, education and clinical practice of general practice trainees and trainers: a national cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background COVID-19 has changed General Practice (GP) education as well as GP clinical activities. These changes have had an impact on the well-being of medical trainees and the role of GP plays in the society. We have therefore aimed to investigate the impact that COVID-19 has had on GP trainees and trainers in four domains: education, workload, practice organization and the role of GP in society. Design: a cross-sectional study design was used. Methods The Interuniversity Centre for the Education of General Practitioners sent an online survey with close-ended and open-ended questions to all GP trainees and trainers in Flanders, active in the period March – September 2020. Descriptive statistics were performed to analyze the quantitative data and thematic analysis for the qualitative data. Results 216 (response 25%) GP trainees and 311 (response 26%) trainers participated. GP trainees (63%, N = 136) and trainers (76%, N = 236) reported new learning opportunities since the COVID-19 pandemic. The introduction of telehealth consulting and changing guidelines required new communication and organizational skills. Most of the GP trainees (75%, n = 162) and trainers (71%, n = 221) experienced more stress at work and an overload of administrative work. The unfamiliarity with a new infectious disease and the fact that COVID-19 care compromised general GP clinical activities, created insecurity among GP trainers and trainees. Moreover, GP trainees felt that general GP activities were insufficiently covered during the COVID-19 pandemic for their training in GP. GP trainers and trainees experienced mutual support, and secondary support came from other direct colleagues. Measures such as reducing the writing of medical certificates and financial support for administrative and (para) medical support can help to reprioritize the core of GP care. COVID-19 has enhanced the use of digital learning over peer-to-peer learning and lectures. However, GP trainees and trainers preferred blended learning educational activities. Conclusions COVID-19 has created learning opportunities such as telehealth consulting and a flexible organization structure. To ensure quality GP education during the pandemic and beyond, regular GP care should remain the core activity of GP trainees and trainers and a balance between all different learning methods should be found.

Experiences of academic and professional burn-out in medical students and residents during first COVID-19 lockdown in Belgium: a mixed-method survey

“…As in other studies [ 44 , 45 , 51 – 53 ], medical students or residents mentioned high emotional burden and psychological distress (e.g., stress, uncertainty, loneliness, exhaustion, powerlessness, and lack of motivation to study). The risk of mental health burden, especially when volunteering and helping out in COVID-19 related care, has been linked to a lack of pandemic preparation in their curriculum [ 50 ].…”

“…All academic burnout dimensions (higher EE and DP/CY and lower PA) in our study were significantly more pronounced when perceived impact of COVID-19 on their studies was higher. Some contradictory findings exist in literature, with some studies finding higher [ 35 , 36 , 45 ] and other no difference [ 37 ] in academic burnout after the pandemic. These higher burnout rates were related to students’ fears of missing essential learning opportunities [ 35 , 36 , 45 ] and missing social support [ 37 ].…”

“…Some contradictory findings exist in literature, with some studies finding higher [ 35 , 36 , 45 ] and other no difference [ 37 ] in academic burnout after the pandemic. These higher burnout rates were related to students’ fears of missing essential learning opportunities [ 35 , 36 , 45 ] and missing social support [ 37 ]. It seems that how students’ individual experiences of the pandemic may cause variability in academic burnout risk.…”

“…Students mentioned an increased workload, stress related to having to combine everything and a lack of adaptation of requirements to the new situation. It is clear that, certainly at the beginning of the pandemic, a mismatch has arisen between ‘regular/essential’ learning goals and the learning opportunities that were offered [ 45 , 46 ]. Although new and important learning goals emerged related to pandemics and infectious care, the originally set goals cannot simply be overridden.…”

Barriers to Seeking Mental Help and Interventions to Remove Them in Medical School during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspectives of Students

“…The care is provided by psychologists. The COVID-19 pandemic further increased the vulnerability of medical students [30,31] and greatly reduced the availability of mental health services and peer support due to the suspension of personal attendance of classes, services, and clinical rotations [32,33]. Several universities, including ours, provided only face-to-face counselling to students before the pandemic, which had to be transferred to cyberspace due to social distancing.…”