Challenges and Difficulties Related to the Professional Performance and Training of Peruvian Medical Residents during a Pandemic

Abstract

Physicians that pursue postgraduate studies must simultaneously manage activities related to their academic training and their duties as specialized in a hospital. The aim of this study was to determine the challenges that affect the professional development and growth of 142 first-year medical residents from a private university in Peru, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The residents responded to an online questionnaire with eight open-ended questions soliciting the identification of two difficulties or challenges per question. Descriptive analysis of the challenges that were detected was carried out and two binomial logistic regression models were tested to evaluate the effect of academic and personal factors on professional development. A structural regression model with three predicting factors (Academic training, Mentorship and use of ICT, and Health conditions) was also tested to predict professional development. Over 80% of the residents expressed having problems with their professional performance, activities, and attention span during the residency. The adjusted logistic regression model explained 42% of the effect of factors that make the emergence of challenges for medical residents more probable in the performance of professional activities. Likewise, the structural regression model indicated a good fit, where all three factors significantly explained medical residents’ professional performance; however, the Mentorship and use of ICTs factor was the best predictor of professional performance during the residency program.