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Review
. 2021 Dec;19(6):e331-e337.
doi: 10.1016/j.surge.2021.02.007. Epub 2021 Mar 10.

Collaborative Overview of coronaVIrus impact on ORTHopaedic training in the UK (COVI - ORTH UK)

Malwattage Lara Tania Jayatilaka  1 , Mohammed As-Sultany  2 , Ayman Gabr  3 , Luke Thornton  4 , Simon Graham  5 , Lyndon Mason  6 , Nicholas Greville Farrar  7 ; COVI-ORTH UK
Collaborators, Affiliations
Review

Collaborative Overview of coronaVIrus impact on ORTHopaedic training in the UK (COVI - ORTH UK)

Malwattage Lara Tania Jayatilaka et al. Surgeon. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Introduction: COVID-19 was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization on the 11th of March 2020 with the NHS deferring all non-urgent activity from the 15th of April 2020. The aim of our study was to assess the impact of COVID-19 on Trauma and Orthopaedic trainees nationally.

Methods: Trauma and Orthopaedic (T&O) specialty trainees nationally were asked to complete an electronic survey specifically on the impact of COVID-19 on their training. This UK based survey was conducted between May 2020 and July 2020.

Results: A total of 185 out of 975 (19%) T&O specialty trainees completed the survey. Redeployment was experienced by 25% of trainees. 84% of respondents had experienced a fall in total operating numbers in comparison with the same time period in 2019. 89% experienced a fall in elective operating and 63% experienced a fall in trauma operating. The pandemic has also had an effect on the delivery of teaching, with face to face teaching being replaced by webinar-based teaching. 63% of training programmes delivered regular weekly teaching, whilst 19% provided infrequent sessions and 11% provided no teaching.

Conclusion: This study has objectively demonstrated the significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on all aspects of T&O training.

Keywords: COVID–19; Coronavirus; Education; Pandemic; Training; Trauma & orthopaedics.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Box and Whisker plot demonstrating the number of days when elective operating (blue) and face-to-face elective clinics (orange) were stopped in relation to the 15th April 2020.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Prediction of the effect of COVID-19 on surgical operative numbers for a trainee starting in August 2018. Prediction was based on full surgical activities resuming in August 2020 (best case scenario) and August 2021 (worst case scenario).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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