Division of Maternal Fetal Medicine, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 3010 Old Clinic Building, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, USA.
BMC Med Educ. 2024 Apr 5;24(1):377. doi: 10.1186/s12909-024-05364-8.
The COVID-19 pandemic has left no one untouched. Resident trainees have been driven to reconsider virtually every component of their daily lives. The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Obstetrics and Gynecology (OBGYN) residency training and education.
A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted between 2/2022 and 5/2022. A survey was created and distributed to OBGYN residents. The survey queried the effects of the pandemic on OBGYN residents' procedure skills training and mental health.
A total of 95 OBGYN residents across programs affiliated with each American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) district participated in the survey. Among them, just over half (n = 52, 55%) self-identified as under-represented minorities. A significant majority, 80% (n = 81), felt their gynecological training was inadequate, with 70% of fourth-year residents expressing a lack of confidence in their ability to independently practice gynecology after graduation. This lack of confidence among fourth-year residents suggests a notable disparity in readiness for independent gynecological practice, linked to meeting ACGME requirements before completing their residency (p = 0.013). Among the residents who reported a negative impact of the pandemic on their mental health (n = 76, 80%), about 40% (n = 31) had contemplated self-harm or knew a colleague who considered or attempted suicide (p < 0.001). This issue was especially pronounced in residents experiencing burnout (n = 44, 46%), as nearly half (n = 19, 43%) reported suicidal thoughts or knew someone in their program who had such thoughts or engaged in self-harm (p = 0.048).
Residents expressed concerns about reduced hands-on gynecological training and doubts about their readiness for independent practice post-residency, highlighting the need for enhanced support through mentorship and revised training curriculums. Additionally, despite the availability of mental health resources to address pandemic-induced burnout, their underuse suggests a need for more accessible time for residents to use at their discretion and flexible training schedules that encourage mental health support resource utilization.
新冠疫情大流行对所有人都产生了影响。住院医师被迫重新审视他们日常生活的几乎每一个方面。本研究的目的是评估新冠疫情对妇产科住院医师培训和教育的影响。
本研究为一项 2022 年 2 月至 5 月进行的横断面试点研究。创建了一份调查并分发给妇产科住院医师。该调查询问了疫情对妇产科住院医师手术技能培训和心理健康的影响。
共有来自与每个美国妇产科医师学会（ACOG）地区相关的项目的 95 名妇产科住院医师参与了这项调查。其中，略多于一半（n=52，55%）自认为是少数族裔。绝大多数（n=81，80%）人认为他们的妇科培训不足，70%的四年级住院医师表示毕业后对自己独立进行妇科实践缺乏信心。四年级住院医师缺乏信心表明，他们在准备独立进行妇科实践方面存在明显差距，这与在完成住院医师培训前满足 ACGME 要求有关（p=0.013）。在报告疫情对其心理健康产生负面影响的住院医师中（n=76，80%），约 40%（n=31）曾考虑过自残或知道有同事考虑或试图自杀（p<0.001）。在经历职业倦怠的住院医师中（n=44，46%），这一问题尤为明显，近一半（n=19，43%）报告有自杀念头或知道所在项目中有这样想法或自残的人（p=0.048）。
住院医师对减少妇科手术培训表示担忧，并对毕业后独立执业的准备情况表示怀疑，这突出表明需要通过指导和修订培训课程来提供更多支持。此外，尽管有精神健康资源来应对疫情引起的职业倦怠，但由于资源利用不足，表明需要为住院医师提供更方便的时间供其自行使用，并制定鼓励利用精神健康支持资源的灵活培训计划。
