Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric emergency fellowship training in Saudi Arabia

Ahmad Khobrani; Osama Kentab; Abdulaziz Algarni; Ahmad AAl Ibrahim; Javid Ahmad Bhat; Ammar Abdulmajeed; Wafa Homaida; Sara El Basheer; Abdullah Akkam; Muna Aljahany

doi:10.1186/s12245-023-00518-9

Impact of COVID-19 on pediatric emergency fellowship training in Saudi Arabia

Int J Emerg Med. 2023 Aug 28;16(1):53. doi: 10.1186/s12245-023-00518-9.

Affiliations

¹ Department of Emergency, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. aykhobrani@kaauh.edu.sa.
² Department of Emergency, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz University Hospital, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
³ King Saud Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
⁴ Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Medicine, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Abstract

Objectives: To assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the academic and clinical processes of pediatric emergency medicine (PEM) fellowship training held by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCHS).

Methods: A cross-sectional, nationwide, survey-based study was conducted between June and December 2020. PEM program directors as well as fellowship trainees were eligible. The collected data were under the following domains: (1) sociodemographic and work-related characteristics; (2) impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on patient flow and PEM procedures; (3) impact on emergency skills and competence; (4) impact on academic performance; and (5) attitudes toward PEM practice and potential solutions. Monthly reports of PEM visits and procedures were also collected from program directors.

Results: A total of 11 PEM program directors and 42 fellows responded. During the pandemic, the number of total ED visits decreased by 70.1%, ED inpatient admissions fell by 57.3%, and the number of intraosseous need insertion and lumbar puncture procedures fell by 76.7% and 62.3%, respectively; the temporal differences in the median frequencies were statistically significant. The pandemic has influenced the knowledge acquisition and leadership skills of one-third of program directors (36.4% and 27.3%, respectively) and the skills and competence of fellows (31.0%). The majority of directors and fellows showed that online classes/webinars were useful (100% and 95.2%, respectively), and there was no need to extend the current fellowship training to compensate for learning deficits (62.7% and 78.6%, respectively). The importance of dedicated modalities to fill in the training gap increased by 62.5% of program directors and 35.7% of fellows.

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic had significant effects on clinical procedures and academic activities in the PEM fellowship program. The impact was consistently perceived across PEM program directors and fellows. Technology-driven solutions are warranted to mitigate the expected learning and clinical deficits due to reduced clinical exposure.

Keywords: COVID-19; Emergency fellowship; Medical education; Pediatric.