Year: 2021
Type: letter
Abstract: The author reported no conflicts of interest.The Journal policy requires editors and reviewers to disclose conflicts of interest and to decline handling or reviewing manuscripts for which they may have a conflict of interest. The editors and reviewers of this article have no conflicts of interest. The author reported no conflicts of interest. The Journal policy requires editors and reviewers to disclose conflicts of interest and to decline handling or reviewing manuscripts for which they may have a conflict of interest. The editors and reviewers of this article have no conflicts of interest. In their previous Young Surgeons Note, Olive and colleagues1Olive J.K. Luc J.G.Y. Cerqueira R.J. Eulert-Grehn J.J. Han J.J. Phan K. et al.The cardiothoracic surgery trainee experience during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic: global insights and opportunities for ongoing engagement.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2021; 161: 178-183Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF Scopus (14) Google Scholar presented a global picture of the early months of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and how it affected trainees' operative experience, curricula, safety and wellness, and the scheduling of examinations and interviews. We read with interest the authors' Letter to the Editor, which provides a status update on cardiothoracic surgery training and recruitment a year into the pandemic.2Olive J.K. Luc J.G.Y. Preventza O.A. The status of cardiothoracic surgery trainee education and recruitment: an update one year into the COVID-19 pandemic.J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg Open. 2021; 8: 538-539Scopus (3) Google Scholar At the time of their original manuscript, many of us may have hoped that by now, with the development of effective vaccines, surgical training and recruitment would be swinging back toward normalcy. However, in the midst of a worldwide surge of the delta variant, the future feels as uncertain as ever. In the face of this unpredictability, educators and educational organizations must be flexible and take advantage of available technology as we navigate the waves of this pandemic. While the Association of American Medical Colleges (understandably) recommended in the spring that away rotations resume, individual institutions may find it prudent to reverse course, depending on local conditions. As the authors point out, in the face of falling surgical volumes, breaking complex cases down into components allows residents to train and improve using simulators. In addition, trainees' improvement in individual case components can be tracked online to facilitate evaluation and allow faster progression.3Thanawala R.M. Jesneck J.L. Seymour N.E. Education management platform enables delivery and comparison of multiple evaluation types.J Surg Ed. 2019; 76: e209-e216Crossref PubMed Scopus (6) Google Scholar Teaching faculty should be made aware of the webinars presented by the Thoracic Surgery Directors Association, which are designed to improve their effectiveness in this environment. Many interview processes, both of fellowship applicants and junior attendings, employ a blend of virtual and in person visits, as the authors predict will become the norm. Our responses, logistical and technological, to the current COVID-19 wave (the 1918 Spanish Flu had four!),4Ansart S. Pelat C. Boelle P.Y. Carrat F. Flahault A. Valleron A.J. Mortality burden of the 1918-1919 influenza pandemic in Europe.Influenza Other Respir Viruses. 2009; 3: 99-106Crossref Scopus (104) Google Scholar will inform and strengthen our field for the adversities of the future. The status of cardiothoracic surgery trainee education and recruitment: An update one year into the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemicJTCVS OpenVol. 8PreviewOne year after our Young Surgeon's Note1 was published, we now provide an update on the cardiothoracic (CT) surgery trainee experience later during the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Here, we review new data and best practices regarding trainee education and recruitment. Full-Text PDF Open Access
Source: JTCVS Open
Author: Frederick A. Tibayan
Institution: Oregon Health & Science University
Language: English
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,100
OpenAlex ID: W3203047486