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. 2021 May 7;5(3):zrab051.
doi: 10.1093/bjsopen/zrab051.

The quantitative impact of COVID-19 on surgical training in the United Kingdom

J M Clements  1 , J R Burke  1 , C Hope  2 , D M Nally  1 , B Doleman  2 , L Giwa  1 , G Griffiths  3 , J N Lund  2   3
Affiliations

The quantitative impact of COVID-19 on surgical training in the United Kingdom

J M Clements et al. BJS Open. .

Abstract

Background: COVID-19 has had a global impact on all aspects of healthcare including surgical training. This study aimed to quantify the impact of COVID-19 on operative case numbers recorded by surgeons in training, and annual review of competency progression (ARCP) outcomes in the UK.

Methods: Anonymized operative logbook numbers were collated from electronic logbook and ARCP outcome data from the Intercollegiate Surgical Curriculum Programme database for trainees in the 10 surgical specialty training specialties.Operative logbook numbers and awarded ARCP outcomes were compared between predefined dates. Effect sizes are reported as incident rate ratios (IRR) with 95 per cent confidence intervals.

Results: Some 5599 surgical trainees in 2019, and 5310 in surgical specialty training in 2020 were included. The IRR was reduced across all specialties as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic (0.62; 95 per cent c.i. 0.60 to 0.64). Elective surgery (0.53; 95 per cent c.i. 0.50 to 0.56) was affected more than emergency surgery (0.85; 95 per cent c.i. 0.84 to 0.87). Regional variation indicating reduced operative activity was demonstrated across all specialties. More than 1 in 8 trainees in the final year of training have had their training extended and more than a quarter of trainees entering their final year of training are behind their expected training trajectory.

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major effect on surgical training in the UK. Urgent, coordinated action is required to minimize the impacts from the reduction in training in 2020.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Regional variation of the impact from the COVID-19 pandemic compared with 2019 Blue indicates the region used as the reference for that speciality (least affected region). Red indicates regions experiencing significantly more impact than the reference region (P < 0.050). Orange colour indicates no statistically significant difference in impact between region and the reference region
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Awarded annual review of competency progression outcomes by specialty between April and September 2019 CT, core training; ST, specialty training; ARCP, annual review of competency progression
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Awarded annual review of competency progression outcomes by specialty between April and September 2020 CT, core training; ARCP, annual review of competency progression
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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