Back to Search Results

Impact of COVID-19 on endoscopy trainees: an international survey.

Department of Internal Medicine, Cardiology, Gastroenterology and Endocrinology, Hospital of the Ministry of Interior and Administration, Szczecin, Poland. Hepatogastroenterology Department, Institution for Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Prague, Czech Republic. Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Division of Digestive Health and Liver Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, Florida, USA. Division of Gastroenterology & Hepatology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Institute of Digestive Disease, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China. Case Western Reserve University, Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA. The University Of Jeddah, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Gastroenterology & Endoscopy, John Hunter Hospital, Newcastle, Australia; University of Newcastle, Australia. Division of Gastroenterology, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins-Sibley Memorial Hospital, Washington DC, USA. Gastroenterology Department, Alicante University General Hospital, Alicante Institute for Health and Biomedical Research (ISABIAL), Alicante, Spain. General Hospital Dr. Manuel Gea González, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico. Division of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, The University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA. Department of Gastroenterology, Medical University of Silesia, Katowice, Poland and Department of Medicine II, Ludwig-Maximillian's Univeristy, Munich, Germany. Division of Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition and the Research and Learning Institutes, Hospital for Sick Children, Department of Paediatrics and the Wilson Centre, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Department of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute, St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Division of Gastroenterology, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK; Liver Unit, University Hospitals Birmingham, Birmingham, UK.

Gastrointestinal endoscopy. 2020;(4):925-935
Full text from:

Other resources

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Although coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has affected endoscopy services globally, the impact on trainees has not been evaluated. We aimed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on procedural volumes and on the emotional well-being of endoscopy trainees worldwide. METHODS An international survey was disseminated over a 3-week period in April 2020. The primary outcome was the percentage reduction in monthly procedure volume before and during COVID-19. Secondary outcomes included potential variation of COVID-19 impact between different continents and rates and predictors of anxiety and burnout among trainees. RESULTS Across 770 trainees from 63 countries, 93.8% reported a reduction in endoscopy case volume. The median percentage reduction in total procedures was 99% (interquartile range, 85%-100%), which varied internationally (P < .001) and was greatest for colonoscopy procedures. Restrictions in case volume and trainee activity were common barriers. A total of 71.9% were concerned that the COVID-19 pandemic could prolonged training. Anxiety was reported in 52.4% of respondents and burnout in 18.8%. Anxiety was independently associated with female gender (odds ratio [OR], 2.15; P < .001), adequacy of personal protective equipment (OR, 1.75; P = .005), lack of institutional support for emotional health (OR, 1.67; P = .008), and concerns regarding prolongation of training (OR, 1.60; P = .013). Modifying existing national guidelines to support adequate endoscopy training during the pandemic was supported by 68.9%. CONCLUSIONS The COVID-19 pandemic has led to restrictions in endoscopic volumes and endoscopy training, with high rates of anxiety and burnout among endoscopy trainees worldwide. Targeted measures by training programs to address these key issues are warranted to improve trainee well-being and support trainee education.