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. 2021 Sep 16;9(10):E1572-E1578.
doi: 10.1055/a-1526-1419. eCollection 2021 Oct.

Impact of COVID-19 on gastroenterology fellowship training: a multicenter analysis of endoscopy volumes

Swathi Paleti  1 , Zain A Sobani  1 , Thomas R McCarty  2 , Aditya Gutta  3 , Anas Gremida  4 , Raj Shah  5 , Venkat Nutalapati  6 , Fateh Bazerbachi  7 , Randhir Jesudoss  8 , Shreya Amin  9 , Chinemerem Okwara  9 , Pradeep Reddy Kathi  10 , Ali Ahmed  11 , Luke Gessel  12 , Kenneth Hung  13 , Amir Masoud  13 , Jessica Yu  14 , Shruti Mony  15 , Venkata Akshintala  15 , Laith Jamil  16 , Thayer Nasereddin  17 , Gursimran Kochhar  17 , Neil Vyas  18 , Shreyas Saligram  18 , Rajat Garg  19 , Dalbir Sandhu  19 , Karim Benrajab  20 , Rajesh Konjeti  20 , Abhishek Agnihotri  21 , Hirsh Trivedi  21 , Matthew Grunwald  22 , Ira Mayer  22 , Arpan Mohanty  23 , Tarun Rustagi  1
Affiliations

Impact of COVID-19 on gastroenterology fellowship training: a multicenter analysis of endoscopy volumes

Swathi Paleti et al. Endosc Int Open. .

Abstract

Background and study aims The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on gastroenterology training programs. We aimed to objectively evaluate procedural training volume and impact of COVID-19 on gastroenterology fellowship programs in the United States. Methods This was a retrospective, multicenter study. Procedure volume data on upper and lower endoscopies performed by gastroenterology fellows was abstracted directly from the electronic medical record. The study period was stratified into 2 time periods: Study Period 1, SP1 (03/15/2020 to 06/30/2020) and Study Period 2, SP2 (07/01/2020 to 12/15/2020). Procedure volumes during SP1 and SP2 were compared to Historic Period 1 (HP1) (03/15/2019 to 06/30/2019) and Historic Period 2 (HP2) (07/01/2019 to 12/15/2019) as historical reference. Results Data from 23 gastroenterology fellowship programs (total procedures = 127,958) with a median of 284 fellows (range 273-289; representing 17.8 % of all trainees in the United States) were collected. Compared to HP1, fellows performed 53.6 % less procedures in SP1 (total volume: 28,808 vs 13,378; mean 105.52 ± 71.94 vs 47.61 ± 41.43 per fellow; P < 0.0001). This reduction was significant across all three training years and for both lower and upper endoscopies ( P < 0.0001). However, the reduction in volume was more pronounced for lower endoscopy compared to upper endoscopy [59.03 % (95 % CI: 58.2-59.86) vs 48.75 % (95 % CI: 47.96-49.54); P < 0.0001]. The procedure volume in SP2 returned to near baseline of HP2 (total volume: 42,497 vs 43,275; mean 147.05 ± 96.36 vs 150.78 ± 99.67; P = 0.65). Conclusions Although there was a significant reduction in fellows' endoscopy volume in the initial stages of the pandemic, adaptive mechanisms have resulted in a return of procedure volume to near baseline without ongoing impact on endoscopy training.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Comparison of procedures performed by gastroenterology trainees between the study and historic periods at the 23 participating programs.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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