scholarly journals Impact of COVID-19 on Hematology-Oncology Fellowship Programs: A Quantitative and Qualitative Survey Assessment of Fellowship Program Directors

2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ana I. Velazquez ◽  
Urshila Durani ◽  
Lachelle D. Weeks ◽  
Ajay Major ◽  
Robby Reynolds ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Research Work ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
Nonparametric Tests ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Funding Program ◽  
Fellowship Programs ◽  
Specific Impact

PURPOSE: The COVID-19 pandemic led to unprecedented challenges in medical training, and we sought to assess the specific impact of COVID-19 on hematology-oncology (HO) fellowship programs. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional anonymous online survey of 103 HO program directors (PDs) in conjunction with the American Society of Hematology (ASH) and ASCO. We sought to assess the specific impact of COVID-19 on HO fellowship programs' clinical, educational, and research activities, evaluate perceptions regarding PD and trainee emotional and mental health, and identify ways to support programs. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, parametric and nonparametric tests, and multivariable logistic regression models. Responses to open-ended questions were analyzed with thematic analysis. RESULTS: Significant changes to fellowship activities included transitioning fellow training from outpatient clinics to telehealth (77.7%), shifting to virtual education (94.2%), and moving to remote research work (63.1%). A minority (21.4%) of PDs reported that their fellows were redeployed to cover non-HO services. Most PDs (54.4%) believed COVID-19 had a slight negative impact on fellowship training. PD self-reported burnout increased significantly from 15.5% prepandemic to 44.7% during the pandemic, and most PDs witnessed minor signs of fellow burnout (52.4%). Common PD concerns included inadequate supervision for telehealth activities, reduced opportunities for fellow advancement and promotion, lack of professional development activities, limited research operations and funding, program financial constraints, and virtual recruitment. CONCLUSION: We encourage institutions and national societies to allocate resources and develop programs that can support fellowships and mitigate the potential negative effects of COVID-19 on trainee and PD career development.

scholarly journals Direct Versus Indirect Supervision of Fellows Covering Football Events: A Survey of Fellows and Program Directors

2010 ◽  
Vol 2 (3) ◽  
pp. 442-448 ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles A. Lascano ◽  
Mark L. Stovak ◽  
A. T. Harvey
Keyword(s):  
Sports Medicine ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
Direct Supervision ◽  
Supervision Practice ◽  
Fellowship Programs ◽  
Supervision Practices ◽  
Injury Outcomes ◽  
Indirect Supervision ◽  
Serious Injuries

Abstract Background The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) program requirements mandate “adequate supervision,” of residents, but there is little guidance for sports medicine fellowship directors regarding the transition from direct to indirect supervision of fellows covering football games. Objective We sought to gather evidence of current supervision practices in the context of injury outcomes. Methods Fellows and program directors of ACGME-accredited sports medicine fellowship programs were invited to complete an online survey regarding their experience and current supervision practice at football games. Criteria for transition to autonomy and desired changes in supervision practice were elicited. Player safety was quantified by noting the number of field-side emergencies, whether an attending was present, and whether better outcomes might have resulted from the presence of an attending. Results A total of 80 fellows and 50 program directors completed the online survey. Direct supervision was lacking in about 50% of high school games and 20% of college games. A resulting cost in terms of player safety was estimated to apply to 5% of serious injuries by fellows' report but less than 0.5% by directors' report. Written criteria for transitioning from direct supervision to autonomy were the exception rather than the rule. The majority of fellows and directors expressed satisfaction with the current level of supervision, but 20% of fellows would prefer more supervision through postgame review. Conclusions Football games covered by fellows are often not directly supervised. Absence of an attending affected the outcomes of 5% or less of serious injuries. Transition to autonomy does not usually require meeting written criteria. Fellows might benefit from additional off-site supervision.

scholarly journals New Professionalism Challenges in Medical Training: An Exploration of Social Networking

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 100-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jennifer C. Kesselheim ◽  
Maneesh Batra ◽  
Frank Belmonte ◽  
Kimberly A. Boland ◽  
Robert S. McGregor
Keyword(s):  
Social Networking ◽  
Social Networking Sites ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Ad Hoc ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Inappropriate Behavior ◽  
Online Activity ◽  
Residency Programs

Abstract Background Innovative online technology can enhance the practice of medicine, yet it also may be a forum for unprofessional behavior. Objective We surveyed program directors regarding their perceptions and experiences with residents' use of social networking sites (SNS). Methods In September 2011, we sent an online survey to program directors and associate program directors of pediatrics residency programs within the United States who are members of the Association of Pediatric Program Directors. Results A total of 162 program directors or associate program directors (representing 50% of residency programs) responded to the survey. One-third of respondents are “very familiar” with SNS and 23% use them “daily or often.” Most respondents (70%) rated “friending” peers as “completely appropriate,” whereas only 1% of respondents rated “friending” current or past patients as “completely appropriate.” More than one half of respondents believe inappropriate behavior on SNS is “somewhat” or “very” prevalent, and 91% are “somewhat” or “very” concerned that the prevalence of inappropriate behavior on SNS may increase. The most commonly reported problematic online activity was posting inappropriate comments about the workplace. Posting of inappropriate comments about self, patients, and staff also was observed. Residency programs commonly educate trainees about SNS during intern orientation (45%), or using written guidelines (29%) and ad hoc remediation (16%). Conclusions As educators teach trainees principles of online professionalism, appropriate use of SNS needs to be included in the training process. Curricular efforts may be hindered by some program directors' lack of familiarity with SNS.

scholarly journals Usefulness of Free Conference Call (FCC) in Digital Learning Platform: A Comparative Study using Users' Perception and Economical Compatibility

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Subhajit Panda
Keyword(s):  
Learning Process ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Sufficient Evidence ◽  
Digital Learning ◽  
Web Conferencing ◽  
Conference Call ◽  
Learning Platform ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Process Damage

The outbreak of the present pandemic coronavirus (official designation COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2) has a clear negative impact on academic and research activities. Issues created by such pandemic viz. loss of communication; shut down of school, college and universities; disruption of the formal learning process; damage of print materials, etc. provoke the transformation of the learning process from conventional to digital. A sophisticated & multitasking platform for online learning is the primary requirement of this transformation, which conforms to the 5A's of access, i.e., Availability, Adequacy, Accessibility, Affordability, and Appropriateness. It bridges the digital divide by ensuring equal access to the web for all. In this paper, the authors have conducted a comparative analysis between the most commonly used web-conferencing tools (viz. FCC, ZOOM, GTM, Join.me & Cisco WebEx) in India, both in terms of users’ & economic perspective. The Users’ perspective was determined by conducting a short online survey using a Google form questionnaire. The survey contains 450 respondents equally distributed among three sample groups, viz. Students, faculty members & library professionals. And the Economical compatibility is identified by solely using the tools & check their pricing & plans. After evaluation & comparison, the study identified that the tool FCC (Free Conference Call), can use by learners and educators as an alternative solution to the physical classroom. This is a dissemination or sharing platform and the most versatile and comprehensive free web-conferencing solution which can be used by academic institutions and educators for online classes. Besides, this paper also goes through a basic overview of 5 A’s of access and provides sufficient evidence that FCC meets all the five criteria of accessibility to clarify the judgment of its acceptance.

scholarly journals Perceptions and Attitudes Toward Single-Board Hematology Training in the United States: A Program Director Survey

Blood ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 134 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 3392-3392
Author(s):  
Rakhi P. Naik ◽  
Manuela Plazas Montana ◽  
Leslie S. Kersun ◽  
Srikanth Nagalla ◽  
Alfred I Lee
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
The United States ◽  
Fellowship Training ◽  
Program Director ◽  
Perceived Barriers ◽  
Advisory Committees ◽  
Academic Settings ◽  
Fellowship Programs

BACKGROUND: The American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) offers separate board examinations for adult hematology and medical oncology, yet the vast majority of fellowship training programs in the United States are structured as combined hematology/oncology programs. Single-board hematology tracks or programs may help increase recruitment and retention in non-malignant hematology; however, the barriers and attitudes toward hematology-only fellowship programs are unknown. We administered a survey to ACGME-accredited hematology/oncology program directors to explore their perceptions toward training in non-malignant hematology and their attitudes toward single-board hematology training. METHODS: In collaboration with the ASH Medical Educators Institute, we developed an anonymous online survey with 30 multiple-choice and open-ended questions to characterize attitudes toward specialization in non-malignant hematology and to assess program director interest and perceived barriers toward single-board hematology training. The survey was electronically administered to program directors of active hematology/oncology fellowship programs in the United States (n=139) in March/April 2019 using Qualtrics software. RESULTS: Of the 139 program directors who received the survey, 90 (65% response rate) completed the survey. The majority of program directors characterized their institutions as academic (87%), with only 9 (10%) describing their programs as community-based. Seventy-eight (87%) program directors believed that there is a shortage of exclusive non-malignant hematologists in the United States, and 59% felt that training more fellows to practice exclusive non-malignant hematology could help address the shortage (Table 1). Jobs for for exclusive non-malignant hematologists were perceived to exist only in academic settings by 47 (52%) respondents. In terms of fellowship training, program directors reported that an average of 5% of fellows per program pursued a career largely or exclusively focused on non-malignant hematology. In addition, 39 (43%) program directors felt that fellows were dissuaded from pursuing a career exclusively in non-malignant hematology. Regarding single-board hematology training, 73% of program directors believe that hematology-only training is both necessary and sufficient for fellows specializing in non-malignant hematology. The most commonly perceived barriers to single-board hematology fellowship programs were: 1) concerns for job availability for single-board hematology trainees, 2) concerns about limiting the training option to hematology only, and 3) lack of interested applicants to the program (Table 2). If barriers were addressed, 37% of programs directors reported that they would be interested in implementing a single-board hematology track at their institution. CONCLUSIONS: Combined hematology/oncology fellowship training is nearly exclusive to the United States. Our survey demonstrates that the percentage of fellows specializing in non-malignant hematology is significantly low (5%), a number that remains unchanged compared to a prior ASH program director survey in 2003. Our results also suggest that programs directors are interested in training fellows in non-malignant hematology and that single-board hematology training is generally acceptable among program directors. It will be important to address perceived barriers to hematology-only programs in order to promote implementation. Disclosures Naik: Elsevier: Other: Content Editor. Nagalla:Alnylam: Membership on an entity's Board of Directors or advisory committees.

scholarly journals Internet addiction and sleep quality among medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A multinational cross-sectional survey

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (11) ◽  
pp. e0259594
Author(s):  
Muhammad Junaid Tahir ◽  
Najma Iqbal Malik ◽  
Irfan Ullah ◽  
Hamza Rafique Khan ◽  
Shahida Perveen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Internet Addiction ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Poor Sleep Quality ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Patient Reported

Background The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of many people, including medical students. The present study explored internet addiction and changes in sleep patterns among medical students during the pandemic and assessed the relationship between them. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out in seven countries, the Dominican Republic, Egypt, Guyana, India, Mexico, Pakistan, and Sudan, using a convenience sampling technique, an online survey comprising demographic details, information regarding COVID-19, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Results In total, 2749 participants completed the questionnaire. Of the total, 67.6% scored above 30 in the IAT, suggesting the presence of an Internet addiction, and 73.5% scored equal and above 5 in the PSQI, suggesting poor sleep quality. Internet addiction was found to be significant predictors of poor sleep quality, causing 13.2% of the variance in poor sleep quality. Participants who reported COVID-19 related symptoms had disturbed sleep and higher internet addiction levels when compared with those who did not. Participants who reported a diagnosis of COVID-19 reported poor sleep quality. Those living with a COVID-19 diagnosed patient reported higher internet addiction and worse sleep quality compared with those who did not have any COVID-19 patients in their surroundings. Conclusion The results of this study suggest that internet addiction and poor sleep quality are two issues that require addressing amongst medical students. Medical training institutions should do their best to minimize their negative impact, particularly during the current COVID-19 pandemic.

scholarly journals 3311 Trauma Informed Care Needs Assessment of Internal Medicine Residents

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (s1) ◽  
pp. 76-76
Author(s):  
Jenny Xin Wen ◽  
Colleen Christmas ◽  
Anika Alvanzo
Keyword(s):  
Internal Medicine ◽  
Partner Violence ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Underserved Populations ◽  
Nonparametric Tests ◽  
Additional Training ◽  
Trauma Informed Care ◽  
Internal Medicine Residents ◽  
Trauma Informed

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: In the US, 60-90% of adults have experienced emotional trauma-- defined as an event or series of events (such as abuse, loss, or chronic stressors) that negatively affect health. Trauma exposure is strongly associated with proportional increases in chronic diseases, behavioral health disorders, and risky behaviors. These negative sequelae disproportionately affect ethnic minorities and urban, underserved populations. Physicians and healthcare providers can play important roles in intervention or re-traumatization of victims. However, current standard medical training does not include trauma or Trauma Informed Care (TIC). We aimed to examine the knowledge, attitudes, perceived skills, and behaviors of internal medicine residents regarding managing patients with histories of trauma, as well as residents’ desires for additional training in trauma informed care. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: We conducted an online survey of residents enrolled in 4 internal medicine programs in Baltimore, Maryland to assess the following behaviors: recognizing, screening, managing, and referring patients with trauma histories. The questionnaire was based on PREMIS (Physician Readiness to Manage Intimate Partner Violence Survey) and addressed residents’ knowledge, attitudes, self-assessed preparedness, and close personal experiences with trauma. Nonparametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis, Fisher’s exact, and Wilcoxon rank sum) were used for analysis. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Of the 168 residents who responded to the survey (54% response rate), 44% were female, 55% White, 28% Asian, 4% Black and 13.2% unknown/other. Knowledge and preparedness were very limited. 83% percent of respondents underestimated trauma prevalence; 31.7% felt inadequately prepared to appropriately respond to positive disclosures. 59.5% reported they seldom asked about trauma in the past 6 months, and 8.8% never asked. Factors significantly associated with higher frequency of screening patients include greater perceived preparedness to identify, respond to, and refer patients (p =.0001 −.012); familiarity with referral resources (p=.005); comfort in discussing trauma with patients (p =.003); and perceived faculty (p =.001) and workplace support (p =.038). 68.7% had previous training on some trauma-related topics in medical school, and 42.2% did in residency; 91.8% wished for additional training on trauma and trauma informed care. Differences among genders, races, years in training, and program sites were minimal. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: Internal medicine residents in Baltimore had very limited knowledge about trauma prevalence and risks for comorbidities. Although most residents feel TIC is relevant to clinical practice, they feel unprepared to identify, respond to, manage, and refer patients with histories of trauma. Our results support the need for integration of trauma and Trauma Informed Care training into graduate medical education for internal medicine residents.

63. Developing a program for resident wellness at the postgraduate medical education office, University of Torontos

2007 ◽  
Vol 30 (4) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Edwards ◽  
S. Verma ◽  
R. Zulla
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Education ◽  
Stress Management ◽  
Residency Training ◽  
Medical Training ◽  
Postgraduate Medical Education ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
University Of Toronto ◽  
Resident Wellness ◽  
The University

Prevalence of stress-related mental health problems in residents is equal to, or greater than, the general population. Medical training has been identified as the most significant negative influence on resident mental health. At the same time, residents possess inadequate stress management and general wellness skills and poor help-seeking behaviours. Unique barriers prevent residents from self-identifying and seeking assistance. Stress management programs in medical education have been shown to decrease subjective distress and increase wellness and coping skills. The University of Toronto operates the largest postgraduate medical training program in the country. The Director of Resident Wellness position was created in the Postgraduate Medical Education Office to develop a systemic approach to resident wellness that facilitates early detection and intervention of significant stress related problems and promote professionalism. Phase One of this new initiative has been to highlight its presence to residents and program directors by speaking to resident wellness issues at educational events. Resources on stress management, professional services, mental health, and financial management have been identified and posted on the postgraduate medical education website and circulated to program directors. Partnerships have been established with physician health professionals, the University of Toronto, and the Professional Association of Residents and Internes of Ontario. Research opportunities for determining prevalence and effective management strategies for stress related problems are being identified and ultimately programs/resources will be implemented to ensure that resident have readily accessible resources. The establishment of a Resident Wellness Strategy from its embryonic stags and the challenges faced are presented as a template for implementing similar programs at other medical schools. Earle L, Kelly L. Coping Strategies, Depression and Anxiety among Ontario Family Medicine Residents. Canadian Family Physician 2005; 51:242-3. Cohen J, Patten S. Well-being in residency training: a survey examining resident physician satisfaction both within and outside of residency training and mental health in Alberta. BMC Medical Education; 5(21). Levey RE. Sources of stress for residents and recommendations for programs to assist them. Academic Med 2001; 70(2):142-150.

Improving medical student recruitment to neurosurgery

2020 ◽  
Vol 133 (3) ◽  
pp. 848-854 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel Lubelski ◽  
Roy Xiao ◽  
Debraj Mukherjee ◽  
William W. Ashley ◽  
Timothy Witham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Student ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Interest Group ◽  
National Level ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
Student Recruitment ◽  
Research Opportunities ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Lecture Series ◽  
Mentorship Programs

OBJECTIVENeurosurgery seeks to attract the best and brightest medical students; however, there is often a lack of early exposure to the field, among other possible barriers. The authors sought to identify successful practices that can be implemented to improve medical student recruitment to neurosurgery.METHODSUnited States neurosurgery residency program directors were surveyed to determine the number of medical student rotators and medical students matching into a neurosurgery residency from their programs between 2010 and 2016. Program directors were asked about the ways their respective institutions integrated medical students into departmental clinical and research activities.RESULTSComplete responses were received from 30/110 institutions. Fifty-two percent of the institutions had neurosurgery didactic lectures for 1st- and 2nd-year medical students (MS1/2), and 87% had didactics for MS3/4. Seventy-seven percent of departments had a neurosurgery interest group, which was the most common method used to integrate medical students into the department. Other forms of outreach included formal mentorship programs (53%), lecture series (57%), and neurosurgery anatomy labs (40%). Seventy-three percent of programs provided research opportunities to medical students, and 57% indicated that the schools had a formal research requirement. On average, 3 medical students did a rotation in each neurosurgery department and 1 matched into neurosurgery each year. However, there was substantial variability among programs. Over the 2010–2016 period, the responding institutions matched as many as 4% of the graduating class into neurosurgery per year, whereas others matched 0%–1%. Departments that matched a greater (≥ 1% per year) number of medical students into neurosurgery were significantly more likely to have a neurosurgery interest group and formal research requirements. A greater percentage of high-matching programs had neurosurgery mentorship programs, lecture series, and cadaver training opportunities compared to the other institutions.CONCLUSIONSIn recent decades, the number of applicants to neurosurgery has decreased. A major deterrent may be the delayed exposure of medical students to neurosurgery. Institutions with early preclinical exposure, active neurosurgery interest groups, research opportunities, and strong mentorship recruit and match more students into neurosurgery. Implementing such initiatives on a national level may increase the number of highly qualified medical students pursuing neurosurgery.

scholarly journals Teaching Ethics and Professionalism: A National Survey of Ophthalmology Residency Program Directors

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (01) ◽  
pp. e88-e94
Author(s):  
Alyssa M. Kretz ◽  
Jennifer E. deSante-Bertkau ◽  
Michael V. Boland ◽  
Xinxing Guo ◽  
Megan E. Collins
Keyword(s):  
Residency Program ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Optimal Strategies ◽  
Program Directors ◽  
Global Evaluation ◽  
Teaching Ethics ◽  
Residency Programs ◽  
Unprofessional Behavior ◽  
Residency Program Directors ◽  
Trainee Competence

Abstract Background While ethics and professionalism are important components of graduate medical education, there is limited data about how ethics and professionalism curricula are taught or assessed in ophthalmology residency programs. Objective This study aimed to determine how U.S. ophthalmology residency programs teach and assess ethics and professionalism and explore trainee preparedness in these areas. Methods Directors from accredited U.S. ophthalmology residency programs completed an online survey about components of programs' ethics and professionalism teaching curricula, strategies for assessing competence, and trainee preparedness in these areas. Results Directors from 55 of 116 programs (46%) responded. The most common ethics and professionalism topics taught were informed consent (38/49, 78%) and risk management and litigation (38/49, 78%), respectively; most programs assessed trainee competence via 360-degree global evaluation (36/48, 75%). While most (46/48, 95%) respondents reported that their trainees were well or very well prepared at the time of graduation, 15 of 48 (31%) had prohibited a trainee from graduating or required remediation prior to graduation due to unethical or unprofessional conduct. Nearly every program (37/48, 98%) thought that it was very important to dedicate curricular time to teaching ethics and professionalism. Overall, 16 of 48 respondents (33%) felt that the time spent teaching these topics was too little. Conclusion Ophthalmology residency program directors recognized the importance of an ethics and professionalism curriculum. However, there was marked variation in teaching and assessment methods. Additional work is necessary to identify optimal strategies for teaching and assessing competence in these areas. In addition, a substantial number of trainees were prohibited from graduating or required remediation due to ethics and professionalism issues, suggesting an impact of unethical and unprofessional behavior on resident attrition.

scholarly journals The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Working Conditions, Employment, Career Development and Well-Being of Refugee Researchers

Societies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 71
Author(s):  
Ourania Tzoraki ◽  
Svetlana Dimitrova ◽  
Marin Barzakov ◽  
Saad Yaseen ◽  
Vasilis Gavalas ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Appropriate Technology ◽  
Public Authorities ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Home Setting ◽  
The Public ◽  
Work From Home ◽  
The Impact

The ongoing ‘refugee crisis’ of the past years has led to the migration of refugee researchers (RRs) to European countries. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, RRs often had to work from home and/or to continue their social, cultural and economic integration process under new conditions. An online survey carried out to explore the impact of the pandemic on the refugee researchers showed that RRs found it difficult to adapt their everyday working life to the ‘home’ setting. The majority have had neither a suitable work environment at home nor the appropriate technology. Although they stated that they are rather pleased with the measures taken by the public authorities, they expressed concern about their vulnerability due to their precarious contracts and the bureaucratic asylum procedures, as the pandemic has had a negative impact on these major issues. The majority of RRs working in academia seem not to have been affected at all as far as their income is concerned, while the majority of those employed in other sectors became unemployed during the pandemic (58%). Recommendations are provided to the public authorities and policy makers to assist RRs to mitigate the consequences of the pandemic on their life.

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