ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: This study assessed the national impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the education of medical students assigned to surgery clerkship rotations, as reported by surgery clerkship directors(CDs). STUDY DESIGN: In the spring of 2020 and 2021, the authors surveyed 164 CDs from 144 LCME-accredited US medical schools regarding their views of the pandemic's impact on the surgery clerkship curriculum, students' experiences, outcomes, and institutional responses. RESULTS: Overall survey response rates, calculated as no. respondents/no. surveyed were 44.5%(73/164) and 50.6%(83/164) for the spring 2020 and 2021 surveys, respectively. Nearly all CDs(>95%) pivoted to virtual platforms and solutions. Most returned to some form of in-person learning by winter 2020, and pre-pandemic status by spring 2021(46%, 38/83). Students' progression to the next year was delayed by 12%(9/73), and preparation was negatively impacted by 45%(37/83). Despite these data, CDs perceived students' interest in surgical careers was not significantly affected(89% vs. 77.0%, p=0.09). Over the one-year study, the proportion of CDs reporting a severe negative impact on the curriculum dropped significantly(p<0.0001) for most parameters assessed except summative evaluations(40.3% vs. 45.7%,p=0.53). CDs(n=83) also noted the pandemic's positive impact with respect to virtual patient encounters(21.7%), didactics(16.9%), student test performance(16.9%), continuous personal learning(14.5%), engagement in the clerkship(9.6%) and student interest in surgery as a career(7.2%). CONCLUSION: During the pandemic, the severe negative impact on student educational programs lessened and novel virtual curricular solutions emerged. Student interest in surgery as a career was sustained. Measures of student competency and effectiveness of new curriculum, including telehealth, remain areas for future investigation.