The cardiothoracic surgery trainee experience during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: Global insights and opportunities for ongoing engagement

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed unprecedented challenges to the world's health care systems and society at large. In addition, the cardiothoracic surgical community faces the challenge of upholding its educational imperative to provide learning for trainees during the pandemic even as the scope of clinical experiences has changed. Here, we discuss relevant concerns of cardiothoracic surgery trainees during the COVID-19 pandemic, the potential downstream consequences of altered curricula, and ongoing methods and opportunities for trainees to maximize their education and involvement during this pandemic (Table 1). In times of public health emergency, the trainee's voice may too often be unheard, and a series of relevant interconnected elements of the cardiothoracic surgery trainee experience should be addressed (Figure 1). In this Young Surgeon's Note, we provide a global perspective to better understand the scope of the pandemic's effect on cardiothoracic surgery learners and prepare their educators during the evolving crisis and for the specialty's future. EFFECT OF COVID-19 ON THE TRAINEE EXPERIENCE Academic CurriculumMedical students and general surgery residents. The COVID-19 pandemic predominantly affects clinical experiences in subinternships and elective rotations, during which early surgical learners gain formal exposure to the cardiothoracic subspecialty. In the future, medical students and general surgery residents might consider pursuing shadowing opportunities and mentors during the first 2 years of their respective programs in anticipation of unforeseen barriers to adequate formal clinical elective time. Cardiothoracic surgery residents. With the international surge in patients with COVID-19, many programs have reallocated their cardiothoracic surgery house staff from surgical rotations to other areas of need, such as intensive care units (ICUs) and emergency departments. A recent international survey of cardiac surgery centers participating in the Randomization of Single vs Multiple Arterial Grafts (ROMA) trial reported that during locally advanced phases From the

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