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. 2020 Nov;71(4):482-489.
doi: 10.1177/0846537120933215. Epub 2020 Jun 11.

Impact of COVID-19 on Canadian Radiology Residency Training Programs

Devang Odedra  1 , Baljot S Chahal  2 , Michael N Patlas  1
Affiliations

Impact of COVID-19 on Canadian Radiology Residency Training Programs

Devang Odedra et al. Can Assoc Radiol J. 2020 Nov.

Abstract
in English, French

Purpose: The novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic has swept the globe, with a domino effect on medical education and training. In this study, we surveyed Canadian radiology residents to understand the impact of the pandemic on their residency training, strategies utilized by the residency programs in mitigating those impacts, and factors important to residents in the selection of educational resources on COVID-19.

Methods: A 10-item questionnaire was distributed to 460 resident members of the Canadian Association of Radiologists. The survey was open for 2 weeks, with a reminder sent at half-way mark.

Results: We received 96 responses (response rate: 20.9%). The 4 highest affected domains of training were daytime case volumes (92.4%), daytime schedules (87.4%), internal and external assessments (86.5%), and vacation/travel (83.3%). Virtual teaching rounds (91.7%), change in schedules to allow staying home (78.1%), and virtual/phone readouts (72.9%) were the most utilized strategies by the Canadian radiology residency programs. Overall stress of exposure to the disease was moderate to low (86.5%). A minority of the residents were redeployed (6.2%), although most (68.8%) were on standby for redeployment. Residents preferred published society guidelines (92.3%), review papers (79.3%), video lectures (79.3%), and web tools (76.9%) for learning about COVID-19 imaging manifestations.

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on various domains of the Canadian radiology residency programs, which has been mitigated by several strategies employed by the training programs.

Objectif:: La pandémie due au nouveau coronavirus (COVID-19) a balayé le globe, entraînant un effet domino sur l’éducation et la formation médicales. Dans le cadre de cette étude, nous avons interrogé des résidents canadiens en radiologie afin de comprendre l’incidence de la pandémie sur leur résidence en radiologie, les stratégies utilisées par les programmes de résidence pour atténuer ces répercussions, et les facteurs importants à leurs yeux pour la sélection des ressources éducatives sur la COVID-19.

Méthodes:: Nous avons distribué un questionnaire de 10 questions à 460 résidents membres de l’Association canadienne des radiologistes. Le questionnaire a circulé pendant deux semaines, avec un rappel envoyé à mi-parcours.

Résultats:: Nous avons reçu 96 réponses (taux de réponse : 20,9 %). Les 4 éléments de formation les plus touchés sont le nombre de cas vus dans la journée (92,4 %), les horaires de jour (87,4 %), les évaluations internes et externes (86,5 %) et les vacances/voyages (83,3 %). Les rondes de formation virtuelle (91,7 %), la modification des horaires pour permettre de rester chez soi (78,1 %) et les lectures virtuelles/au téléphone (72,9 %) ont été les stratégies les plus utilisées par les programmes canadiens de résidence en radiologie. Le stress global en lien avec l’exposition à la maladie était de modéré à faible (86,5 %). Une minorité de résidents a été réaffectée (6,2 %), bien que la plupart (68,8 %) aient été en attente de réaffectation. En ce qui concerne l’information sur les manifestations de la COVID-19 dans le domaine de l’imagerie, les résidents ont préféré les directives publiées par les sociétés de radiologie (92,3 %), les articles de synthèse (79,3 %), les conférences vidéo (79,3 %) et les outils en ligne (76,9 %).

Conclusion:: La pandémie de COVID-19 a eu des répercussions importantes sur divers éléments des programmes canadiens de résidence en radiologie, une incidence qui a été atténuée au moyen de plusieurs stratégies employées par les programmes de formation.

Keywords: COVID-19; emergency preparedness; medical education; pandemic; virtual education.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Conflicting Interests: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
Breakdown of responses by the level of training. PGY indicates postgraduate year.
Figure 2.
Figure 2.
Breakdown of responses by the size of the program.
Figure 3.
Figure 3.
Breakdown of responses by the province. AB indicates Alberta; BC, British Columbia; MB, Manitoba; NL, Newfoundland and Labrador; ON, Ontario; QC, Quebec; SK, Saskatchewan.
Figure 4.
Figure 4.
Breakdown of responses by the impact on the residency domain. Number of responses represents the portion of responses selecting “moderate” or higher on question 4.
Figure 5.
Figure 5.
Breakdown of responses by the level of stress regarding exposure to the disease.
Figure 6.
Figure 6.
Breakdown of responses by the redeployment status.
Figure 7.
Figure 7.
Breakdown of responses by the mitigation strategies utilized by the training programs.
Figure 8.
Figure 8.
Breakdown of responses by the use and rating of virtual conference software.
Figure 9.
Figure 9.
Breakdown of responses by the importance of factors in the selection of educational resources on imaging manifestations of COVID-19. Number of responses represents the portion of responses selecting “moderate” or higher on question 9.
Figure 10.
Figure 10.
Breakdown of responses by the preferred educational resource type. Number of responses represents the portion of responses selecting “moderate” or higher on question 10.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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