scholarly journals The Fellow’s Perspective: The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Fellowship Training and Job Appointment

2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482110241
Author(s):  
Adam Truong ◽  
Farin Amersi ◽  
Van Chau ◽  
Taryne Imai
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Training ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
Surgical Specialty ◽  
Job Interview ◽  
Educational Structure ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Procedural Volume ◽  
Interview Format ◽  
The Impact

Background Fellows have been uniquely affected by the widespread changes in educational structure, mandatory limitations in elective procedural volume, and hiring freezes during the COVID-19 global pandemic. Study Design A voluntary and anonymous survey was distributed to all Graduate Medical Education fellows at a tertiary medical center querying perspectives on clinical and didactic training and job placement. Results A total of 47 of 121 fellows (39%) completed the survey. The majority were in a medical (43%) or surgical specialty (34%) followed by critical care (13%) and procedure-based (11%) fellowships. Approximately 59% of surveyed fellows felt their programs were providing a virtual curriculum that would train them just as well as the in-person curriculum. Twenty-eight (60%) fellows were in their final or only year of training. Of the 25 fellows who were seeking employment, 52% have experienced difficulty in finding a job due to hiring freezes and 40% have encountered challenges with job interview cancellations and changes to virtual interview formats. Conclusion Almost half of surveyed fellows reported an educational deterioration due to COVID-19 and graduating fellows seeking employment felt hindered by both the virtual interview format and widespread hiring freeze. Fellows are both unique and vulnerable as they balance the solidification of clinical training with securing employment during these tumultuous and unprecedented times.

scholarly journals The COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on Otolaryngology trainees: A comprehensive nationwide cross-sectional study.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Salma S. Al Sharhan ◽  
Mohammed H. Al Bar ◽  
Abdulmalik S. AlSaied ◽  
Abdulaziz S. ALEnazi ◽  
Hussain J. Aljubran ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Saudi Arabia ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Psychological Impact ◽  
Working Hours ◽  
Nationwide Survey ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Training Activities ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background: As a consequence of the COVID-19 global pandemic, otolaryngology residents are at high risk due to the nature of the specialty and long work hours. Moreover, COVID-19 could have a severe impact on residents from different frontline specialties, particularly otolaryngology. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first nationwide survey providing insights into the impact of COVID-19 on otolaryngology residents.Methods: A cross-sectional questionnaire-based study was conducted among all otolaryngology training centers of Saudi Arabia to investigate the extent of the impact of COVID-19 on otolaryngology residents and the learning process.Results: A total of 152 residents were contacted to participate in the study, and 101 participants were included after successfully completing the questionnaire. The mean age of the participants was 28.12 years (S.D. = 1.89, max = 36, min = 25). There has been a significant impact on outpatient clinics, elective operations, consultations, and working hours. Also, we evaluated the impact on academic training activities, the frequency of training activities per week, and the psychological impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on otolaryngology residents as well.Conclusion: COVID-19 has had a serious impact on residents both physically and mentally; otolaryngology residents have been hit especially hard by this emergency pandemic period. Trainees suffered from excessive worries regarding clinical training, specifically academic concerns for different training levels. Further studies need to be done here in Saudi Arabia to evaluate this impact in greater detail and to protect the residents.

Navigating the New Retail Landscape

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Treadgold ◽  
Jonathan Reynolds
Keyword(s):  
Case Studies ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Retail Industry ◽  
Drivers Of Change ◽  
Economic Crises ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Personal Leadership ◽  
Practical Guidance ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Rapid Emergence

The retail industry globally is in an era of profound, perhaps unprecedented, change, change which has been further accelerated for many by the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic and its attendant health and economic crises. This book is intended to serve as a wide-ranging, robust, practical guide to leaders of enterprises tasked with understanding and delivering success in the new landscape of retailing. Part 1 describes the major directions and drivers of change that define the new global landscape of retailing. Accelerating changes in technology, the rise to prominence globally of internet enabled shoppers and the rapid emergence of entirely new retail enterprises and business models are combining to re-shape the very fundamentals of the retail industry. The new landscape of retailing is unforgiving: success can be achieved more quickly than ever before but failure is equally rapid. Opportunities in the new landscape of retailing are profound, but so too are the challenges. Part 2 discusses the structures, skills and capabilities that retail enterprises will need to be successful in this new landscape and the skills and capabilities required of the leaders of retail enterprises. More than 25 detailed case studies of innovative, successful enterprises internationally and more than one hundred smaller examples, all updated and many new since the first edition, are used to illustrate the themes discussed. Frameworks are presented to provide practical guidance for enterprise leaders to understand and contextualize the nature of change re-shaping retail landscapes globally. Clear guidance is given of the capabilities, skills and perspectives needed at both an enterprise and personal leadership level to deliver success in the new landscape of retailing.

Theory and Method and the Stakes of a Fragmented Discipline: Or, What Economics Taught Me About the Study of Religion

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thomas A Lewis
Keyword(s):  
Religious Studies ◽  
The Public ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Recent Developments ◽  
The Common ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Academic Study

Abstract As a discipline, the academic study of religion is strikingly fragmented, with little engagement or shared criteria of excellence across subfields. Although important recent developments have expanded the traditions and peoples studied as well as the methods used, the current extent of fragmentation limits the impact of this diversification and pluralization. At a moment when the global pandemic is catalyzing profound pressures on our universities and disciplines, this fragmentation makes it difficult to articulate to the public, to non-religious studies colleagues, and to students why the study of religion matters. We therefore too often fall back on platitudes. I argue for a revitalized methods and theories conversation that connects us even as it bears our arguments and disagreements about what we do and how. Courses in methods and theories in the study of religion represent the most viable basis we have for bringing the academic study of religion into the common conversation or argument that constitutes a discipline without sacrificing our pluralism.

scholarly journals Effects of COVID-19 on Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Training and Director Practices

OTO Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 2473974X2110141
Author(s):  
Parsa P. Salehi ◽  
Sina J. Torabi ◽  
Yan Ho Lee ◽  
Babak Azizzadeh
Keyword(s):  
Facial Nerve ◽  
Reconstructive Surgery ◽  
Trauma Surgery ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
Craniofacial Surgery ◽  
Worker Safety ◽  
Plastic And Reconstructive Surgery ◽  
Facial Plastic ◽  
The Impact

Objectives The objectives of this study include characterizing the practice patterns and testing strategies of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery (FPRS) fellowship directors (FDs) secondary to COVID-19 and to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on FPRS fellowship training. Study Design Cross-sectional survey. Setting Online. Methods A survey was sent to all American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery FDs and co-FDs in September 2020. Descriptive analyses were performed. Results Of 77 eligible FDs, 45 responded (58.4%) representing a diverse group across the United States. All but 1 FD routinely screened patients for COVID-19 in the preoperative setting. FDs largely believed that universal preoperative testing was cost-effective (66.7%), improved patient safety (80.0%) and health care worker safety (95.6%), and was not burdensome for patients (53.3%). With regard to volume of cosmetic/aesthetic, reconstructive, facial nerve, and trauma surgery, FDs indicated largely no change in volume (34.9%, 71.0%, 68.4%, and 80.0%, respectively) or fellow experience (67.4%, 80.6%, 84.2%, and 80.0%). Half (50.0%) of the FDs reported decreased volume of congenital/craniofacial surgery, but 75.0% did not believe that there was a change in fellow experience. Overall, of the 15 responses indicating “worsened training” across all domains of FPRS, 14 were located in the Northeast (93.33%). Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has had the least impact on the volume of reconstructive procedures, facial nerve operations, and trauma surgery and a negative impact on congenital/craniofacial surgery volume, and it has accelerated the demand for cosmetic/aesthetic operations. Overall, the majority of FDs did not feel as though their fellows’ trainings would be adversely affected by the ongoing pandemic.

scholarly journals Web-based Medical Education During COVID-19 Lockdown: A Step Back or a Leap to the Future?

2021 ◽  
pp. 153473462110118
Author(s):  
Anna Eleftheriou ◽  
Aikaterini Rokou ◽  
Christos Argyriou ◽  
Nikolaos Papanas ◽  
George S. Georgiadis
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Clinical Training ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Clinical Exposure ◽  
Virtual Teaching ◽  
Based Medicine ◽  
The Impact

The impact of coronavirus infectious disease (COVID-19) on medical education has been substantial. Medical students require considerable clinical exposure. However, due to the risk of COVID-19, the majority of medical schools globally have discontinued their normal activities. The strengths of virtual teaching now include a variety of web-based resources. New interactive forms of virtual teaching are being developed to enable students to interact with patients from their homes. Conversely, students have received decreased clinical training in certain medical and surgical specialities, which may, in turn, reduce their performance, confidence, and abilities as future physicians. We sought to analyze the effect of telemedicine on the quality of medical education in this new emerging era and highlight the benefits and drawbacks of web-based medical training in building up future physicians. The COVID-19 pandemic has posed an unparalleled challenge to medical schools, which are aiming to deliver quality education to students virtually, balancing between evidence-based and experience-based medicine.

scholarly journals Riding the waves: the ongoing impact of COVID-19 on a national surgical training cohort

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orla Hennessy ◽  
Amy Lee Fowler ◽  
Conor Hennessy ◽  
David Brinkman ◽  
Aisling Hogan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surgical Training ◽  
World Health Organisation ◽  
World Health ◽  
Training Methods ◽  
Viral Spread ◽  
Surgical Services ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Surgical Trainees ◽  
Secondary Survey ◽  
The Impact

Abstract Background The World Health Organisation declared a global pandemic on the 11 March 2020 resulting in implementation of methods to contain viral spread, including curtailment of all elective and non-emergent interventions. Many institutions have experienced changes in rostering practices and redeployment of trainees to non-surgical services. Examinations, study days, courses, and conferences have been cancelled. These changes have the potential to significantly impact the education and training of surgical trainees. Aim To investigate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on training, educational, and operative experiences of Irish surgical trainees. Methods Surgical trainees were surveyed anonymously regarding changes in working and educational practices since the declaration of the COVID-19 pandemic on 11 March 2020. The survey was circulated in May 2020 to both core and higher RCSI surgical trainees, when restrictions were at level five. Questions included previous and current access to operative sessions as well as operative cases, previous and current educational activities, access to senior-led training, and access to simulation-/practical-based training methods. A repeat survey was carried out in October 2020 when restrictions were at level two. Results Overall, primary and secondary survey response rates were 29% (n = 98/340) and 19.1% (n = 65/340), respectively. At the time of circulation of the second survey, the number of operative sessions attended and cases performed had significantly improved to numbers experienced pre-pandemic (p < 0.0001). Exposure to formal teaching and education sessions returned to pre-COVID levels (p < 0.0001). Initially, 23% of trainees had an examination cancelled; 53% of these trainees have subsequently sat these examinations. Of note 27.7% had courses cancelled, and 97% of these had not been rescheduled. Conclusion Surgical training and education have been significantly impacted in light of COVID-19. This is likely to continue to fluctuate in line with subsequent waves. Significant efforts have to be made to enable trainees to meet educational and operative targets.

scholarly journals The Impact of Geopolitical Risks on Tourism Supply in Developing Economies: The Moderating Role of Social Globalization

2021 ◽  
pp. 004728752110047
Author(s):  
Giray Gozgor ◽  
Marco Chi Keung Lau ◽  
Yan Zeng ◽  
Cheng Yan ◽  
Zhibin Lin
Keyword(s):  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Capital Investment ◽  
Developing Economies ◽  
Sustainable Tourism ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Media ◽  
Factor Data ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Moderating Role ◽  
Geopolitical Risks

Capital investment is vital for sustainable tourism growth, particularly in times of geopolitical turmoil. This study examines how tourism investment was influenced by geopolitical risks considering social globalization as a moderating factor. Data were collected from 18 developing economies between 1995 and 2018. The results from the fixed effects and the least squares dummy variable–corrected methods show that the geopolitical risks negatively affect capital investment in tourism, with social globalization playing a moderating role in alleviating the adverse effect. The results were robust to different measures and analyses. The study advances our understanding of sustainable tourism growth amid geopolitical turmoil. Policymakers, especially those from developing economies, are suggested to be vigilant about the media atmosphere of geopolitics and enhancing social globalization as a countermeasure against politically turbulent times. The study also provides implications for alleviating the impact of the global pandemic on tourism investment.

scholarly journals The Impact of COVID-19 Lockdowns on Sustainable Indexes

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1846 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Chiappini ◽  
Gianfranco Vento ◽  
Leonardo De Palma
Keyword(s):  
Abnormal Returns ◽  
Nonparametric Tests ◽  
Market Growth ◽  
Bear Market ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
Screening Strategies ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Sustainable Investment ◽  
Sustainable Investments ◽  
The Impact

This paper analyzes the response of sustainable indexes to the pandemic lockdown orders in Europe and the USA, contributing to both the research on the effects of the global pandemic outbreak and the resiliency of sustainable investments under market distress. Our results demonstrate that sustainable indexes were negatively impacted by lockdown orders; however, they did not show statistically significant different abnormal returns compared to traditional indexes. Similarly, our empirical results confirm that sustainable screening strategies (negative, positive, best in class) did not have an influence during such announcements. These results are robust across several model specifications and robustness tests, including nonparametric tests, generalized autoregressive conditionally heteroskedastic (GARCH) estimation of abnormal returns, and alternative events. The findings suggest that investors do not have to pay the price for the investments in sustainable assets when a bear market occurs; consequently, ceteris paribus, these investments appear suitable for financial-first investors. Such results have relevant practical consequences in terms of sustainable investment attractiveness and market growth.

scholarly journals Alcohol Hand Rub Significantly Reduces Overall Bacterial Bioburden on Stethoscopes in a Real-World Clinical Setting

2020 ◽  
Vol 41 (S1) ◽  
pp. s114-s115
Author(s):  
Alexandra Johnson ◽  
Bobby Warren ◽  
Deverick John Anderson ◽  
Melissa Johnson ◽  
Isabella Gamez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Real World ◽  
Medical Center ◽  
Academic Medical Center ◽  
Randomized Study ◽  
Healthcare Providers ◽  
Clinical Workflow ◽  
Provider Type ◽  
Academic Medical ◽  
Rn Students ◽  
The Impact

Background: Stethoscopes are a known vector for microbial transmission; however, common strategies used to clean stethoscopes pose certain barriers that prevent routine cleaning after every use. We aimed to determine whether using readily available alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR) would effectively reduce bacterial bioburden on stethoscopes in a real-world setting. Methods: We performed a randomized study on inpatient wards of an academic medical center to assess the impact of using ABHR (AlcareExtra; ethyl alcohol, 80%) on the bacterial bioburden of stethoscopes. Stethoscopes were obtained from healthcare providers after routine use during an inpatient examination and were randomized to control (no intervention) or ABHR disinfection (2 pumps applied to tubing and bell or diaphragm by study personnel, then allowed to dry). Cultures of the tubing and bell or diaphragm were obtained with premoistened cellulose sponges. Sponges were combined with 1% Tween20-PBS and mixed in the Seward Stomacher. The homogenate was centrifuged and all but ~5 mL of the supernatant was discarded. Samples were plated on sheep’s blood agar and selective media for clinically important pathogens (CIPs) including S. aureus, Enterococcus spp, and gram-negative bacteria (GNB). CFU count was determined by counting the number of colonies on each plate and using dilution calculations to calculate the CFU of the original ~5 mL homogenate. Results: In total, 80 stethoscopes (40 disinfection, 40 control) were sampled from 46 physicians (MDs) and MD students (57.5%), 13 advanced practice providers (16.3%), and 21 nurses (RNs) and RN students (26.3%). The median CFU count was ~30-fold lower in the disinfection arm compared to control (106 [IQR, 50–381] vs 3,320 [986–4,834]; P < .0001). The effect was consistent across provider type, frequency of recent usual stethoscope cleaning, age, and status of pet ownership (Fig. 1). Overall, 26 of 80 (33%) of stethoscopes harbored CIP. The presence of CIP was lower but not significantly different for stethoscopes that underwent disinfection versus controls: S. aureus (25% vs 32.5%), Enterococcus (2.5% vs 10%), and GNB (2.5% vs 5%). Conclusions: Stethoscopes may serve as vectors for clean hands to become recontaminated immediately prior to performing patient care activities. Using ABHR to clean stethoscopes after every use is a practical and effective strategy to reduce overall bacterial contamination that can be easily incorporated into clinical workflow. Larger studies are needed to determine the efficacy of ABHR at removing CIP from stethoscopes as stethoscopes in both arms were frequently contaminated with CIP. Prior cleaning of stethoscopes on the study day did not seem to impact contamination rates, suggesting the impact of alcohol foam disinfection is short-lived and may need to be repeated frequently (ie, after each use).Funding: NoneDisclosures: NoneDisclosures: NoneFunding: None

scholarly journals COVID-19 Pathogenesis: From Molecular Pathway to Vaccine Administration

Biomedicines ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (8) ◽  
pp. 903
Author(s):  
Francesco Nappi ◽  
Adelaide Iervolino ◽  
Sanjeet Singh Avtaar Singh
Keyword(s):  
Hospital Setting ◽  
Pathophysiological Mechanism ◽  
Systemic Response ◽  
Respiratory Complications ◽  
Thrombotic Risk ◽  
Global Pandemic ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Multiple Variants ◽  
Roll Out

The Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection is a global pandemic that has affected millions of people worldwide. The advent of vaccines has permitted some restitution. Aside from the respiratory complications of the infection, there is also a thrombotic risk attributed to both the disease and the vaccine. There are no reliable data for the risk of thromboembolism in SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients managed out of the hospital setting. A literature review was performed to identify the pathophysiological mechanism of thrombosis from the SARS-CoV-2 infection including the role of Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme receptors. The impact of the vaccine and likely mechanisms of thrombosis following vaccination were also clarified. Finally, the utility of the vaccines available against the multiple variants is also highlighted. The systemic response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is still relatively poorly understood, but several risk factors have been identified. The roll-out of the vaccines worldwide has also allowed the lifting of lockdown measures and a reduction in the spread of the disease. The experience of the SARS-CoV-2 infection, however, has highlighted the crucial role of epidemiological research and the need for ongoing studies within this field.

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