The role of surgeons during the COVID-19 pandemic: impact on training and lessons learned from a surgical resident’s perspective

Abstract

Background Surgeons are trained as "internists that also operate," bringing an important skillset to patient management during the current COVID-19 pandemic. A review was performed to illustrate the response of surgical staff during the pandemic with regard to patient care and residency training. Methods The evaluation and assessment of the changes enacted at Stony Brook Medicine's Department of Surgery is illustrated through the unique perspective of surgical residents. No IRB approval or written consent was obtained nor it was necessary for the purposes of this paper. Results Hospital policy was enacted to hinder transmission of COVID-19 and included limited gatherings of people, restricted travel, quarantined symptomatic staff, and careful surveillance for disease incidence. Surgical residency transformed as residents were diverted from traditional surgical services to staff new COVID-19 ICUs. Education transitioned to an online-based platform for lectures and reviews. New skills sets were acquired such as PICC line placement and complex ventilator management. Conclusions The viral surge impacted surgical training while also providing unique lessons regarding preparedness and strategic planning for future pandemic and disaster management.

The Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on Dual-Physician Couples: A Disproportionate Burden on Women Physicians

“…24 However, because some hospitals were so overwhelmed that physicians from surgical specialties were diverted to roles outside the operating room, we included all physicians in our sample. 25 As more than 90% of respondents were from the United States, our results may not be applicable to the global physician population. As the pandemic continues, further investigations to evaluate the impact on the physician workforce worldwide are necessary.…”

Teaching strategies and outcomes in 3 different times of the COVID-19 pandemic through a dynamic assessment of medical skills and wellness of surgical trainees

“…In many institutions, residents were reassigned to other departments to support COVID-19 efforts. 23 , 24 , 25 Although elective rotations outside the hospital were cut, our trainees did not perform duties different from their usual clinical activities. The only new task added was to perform the COVID-19 swab test on surgical patients admitted to the ED.…”

Impacto de la pandemia por SARS-CoV-2 en la residencia de Cirugía General en el Hospital General de México

“…9 De la misma forma, se cambió el método de enseñanza de un modelo presencial en aulas a un modelo a distancia a través de plataformas en línea, que permitían la realización de sesiones académicas de manera no presencial para cumplir con las recomendaciones de distanciamiento social. 10 En nuestro conocimiento, sólo existen trabajos que miden de manera subjetiva el impacto de la pandemia por COVID-19; en el primero de ellos y uno de los más importantes, los autores realizaron encuestas a los residentes que cursaban la subespecialidad de urología en Italia, para valorar el impacto de la pandemia en cuanto a su formación tanto académica como la disminución de procedimientos realizados de manera rutinaria previo a la pandemia, comparando con la etapa de reconversión para atención de la pandemia, en el cual se analiza la percepción de los residentes. 11 En nuestro trabajo, ésta se hace de manera objetiva, al haber tomado como base los procedimientos que se encuentran en la base de datos del hospital, que son a los que se encuentra expuesto un residente de manera rutinaria previo a la pandemia por COVID-19.…”