The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Urology Residents: a Narrative Review

Abstract

Purpose of Review The COVID-19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges for urology resident education. In this review, we discuss the pandemic’s impact on urology trainees and their education. Recent Findings Urology trainees were often redeployed to frontline services in unfamiliar clinical settings. Residents often experienced increased levels of stress, anxiety, and depression. Many programs instituted virtual “check-ins” and formed liaisons with mental health services to foster cohesiveness. Urology trainees experienced the integration of telehealth into the clinical realm. Virtual surgery lectures and simulations were utilized to augment surgical education. Academic governing bodies upheld resident protections and provided dynamic guidance for training requirement throughout the pandemic. Medical students were unable to participate in traditional in-person away rotations and interviews, complicating the residency application process. Summary The COVID-19 pandemic shook the healthcare system and ushered in seismic changes for urology trainees worldwide. Though the longstanding effects of the pandemic remain to be seen, urology residents have demonstrated tremendous resilience and bravery throughout this challenging period, and those qualities will undeniably withstand the test of time.

Effect of COVID-19 on Graduating Urology Resident Case Logs: Analysis of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education National Data Reports

“…12 While urologic training has evolved to meet pandemic pressures with increased telemedicine and virtual didactics, the major concern of broadly decreased surgical exposure was not supported by the resident case logs. 3 , 13 , 14 , 15 …”

COVID-19 Did Not Stop the Rising Tide: Trends in Case Volume Logged by Surgical Residents

“…With regard to graduate medical training, the negative impact of the pandemic on the clinical experience of trainees in surgical and procedural specialties has been widely reported. 31 , 32 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 , 37 Multiple survey-based and qualitative studies have highlighted how surgical trainees were redeployed to non-surgical roles, experienced a substantial reduction in operative and ambulatory experience, or navigated a disrupted educational and didactic curriculum. 31 , 33 , 34 , 35 , 36 Based on a national survey of surgical residents published in July 2020, 71.4% of all residents reported completing 4 or more cases per week prior to the pandemic, whereas 35.2% and 45.6% of respondents reported completing 0 cases per week and 1-3 cases per week during the initial wave of the pandemic, respectively.…”

Telemedicine use in current urologic oncology clinical practice

“…The new virtual courses and lectures produced during the pandemic allowed urology residents to tailor courses to their interests ( 29 ). These courses prompted discussion of a shift towards standardized virtual-based curriculums for programs ( 30 , 31 ).…”