Benjamin Smood1, John R Spratt2, J Hunter Mehaffey3, Jessica G Y Luc4, Eric E Vinck5, Miia L Lehtinen6, Tyler J Wallen2, Charles G Jenkinson7,8,9,10,11, Woojung Kim12, Emeka B Kesieme13, Jason J Han1, Mark R Helmers1, Amit Iyengar1, William L Patrick1, John J Kelly1, Ammara A Watkins14, Marisa Cevasco1, Matthew L Williams1. 1. Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. 2. Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Florida College of Medicine, Gainesville, Florida, USA. 3. Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, University of Virginia Medical Center, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA. 4. Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. 5. Department of Surgery, Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, Clínica Cardio VID, Pontifical Bolivarian University, Medellín, Colombia. 6. Department of Cardiac Surgery, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland. 7. St. Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia. 8. The University of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia. 9. Murdoch University, Perth, Australia. 10. Heart and Lung Research Institute of Western Australia, Western Australia, Australia. 11. The University of New South Wales, New South Wales, Australia. 12. Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, National University Hospital, Seoul, Republic of Korea. 13. Department of Surgery, Irrua Specialist Teaching Hospital, Irrua, Nigeria. 14. Department of Surgery, Division of Thoracic Surgery and Interventional Pulmonology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all aspects of healthcare, including cardiothoracic surgery (CTS). We sought to determine the pandemic's impact on CTS trainees' educational experiences. METHODS: A survey was developed and distributed to members of the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association and other international CTS trainees. Trainees were asked to evaluate their cumulative experiences and share their overall perceptions of how CTS training had been impacted during the earliest months of the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., since March 01, 2020). Surveys were distributed and responses were recorded June 25-August 05, 2020. In total, 748 surveys were distributed and 166 responses were received (overall response rate 22.2%). Of these, 126 of 166 responses (75.9%) met inclusion criteria for final analysis. RESULTS: Final responses analyzed included 45 of 126 (35.7%) United States (US) and 81 of 126 (64.3%) international trainees, including 101 of 126 (80.2%) senior and 25 of 126 (19.8%) junior trainees. Most respondents (76/126, 43.2%) lost over 1 week in the hospital due to the pandemic. Juniors (12/25, 48.0%) were more likely than seniors (20/101, 19.8%) to be reassigned to COVID-19-specific units (p < .01). Half of trainees (63/126) reported their case volumes were reduced by over 50%. US trainees (42/45, 93.3%) were more likely than international trainees (58/81, 71.6%) to report reduced operative case volumes (p < .01). Most trainees (104/126, 83%) believed their overall clinical acumen was not adversely impacted by the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: CTS trainees in the United States and abroad have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with time lost in the hospital, decreased operative experiences, less time on CTS services, and frequent reassignment to COVID-19-specific care settings.
BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted all aspects of healthcare, including cardiothoracic surgery (CTS). We sought to determine the pandemic's impact on CTS trainees' educational experiences. METHODS: A survey was developed and distributed to members of the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association and other international CTS trainees. Trainees were asked to evaluate their cumulative experiences and share their overall perceptions of how CTS training had been impacted during the earliest months of the COVID-19 pandemic (i.e., since March 01, 2020). Surveys were distributed and responses were recorded June 25-August 05, 2020. In total, 748 surveys were distributed and 166 responses were received (overall response rate 22.2%). Of these, 126 of 166 responses (75.9%) met inclusion criteria for final analysis. RESULTS: Final responses analyzed included 45 of 126 (35.7%) United States (US) and 81 of 126 (64.3%) international trainees, including 101 of 126 (80.2%) senior and 25 of 126 (19.8%) junior trainees. Most respondents (76/126, 43.2%) lost over 1 week in the hospital due to the pandemic. Juniors (12/25, 48.0%) were more likely than seniors (20/101, 19.8%) to be reassigned to COVID-19-specific units (p < .01). Half of trainees (63/126) reported their case volumes were reduced by over 50%. US trainees (42/45, 93.3%) were more likely than international trainees (58/81, 71.6%) to report reduced operative case volumes (p < .01). Most trainees (104/126, 83%) believed their overall clinical acumen was not adversely impacted by the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: CTS trainees in the United States and abroad have been significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with time lost in the hospital, decreased operative experiences, less time on CTS services, and frequent reassignment to COVID-19-specific care settings.
Authors: Michael C Grant; Sylvain A Lother; Daniel T Engelman; Ansar Hassan; Pavan Atluri; Rainer Moosdorf; J Awori Hayanga; HelenMari Merritt-Genore; Subhasis Chatterjee; Michael S Firstenberg; Hitoshi Hirose; Jennifer Higgins; Jean-Francois Legare; Yoan Lamarche; Malek Kass; Samer Mansour; Rakesh C Arora Journal: Ann Thorac Surg Date: 2022-05-18 Impact factor: 5.102