The Effects of COVID-19 on Orthopaedic Surgery Training Programs in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: This study investigates the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical education, research opportunities, and mental health in orthopaedic surgical training programs. METHODS: A survey was sent to the 177 Electronic Residency Application Service-participating orthopaedic surgery training programs. The survey contained 26 questions covering demographics, examinations, research, academic activities, work settings, mental health, and educational communication. Participants were asked to assess their difficulty in performing activities relative to COVID-19. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-two responses were used for data analysis. Difficulties were experienced in collaborating with others (49%), learning through online web platforms (49%), maintaining the attention span of others through online web platforms (75%), and in gaining knowledge as a presenter or participating through online web platforms (56%). Eighty percent reported that managing time to study was the same or easier. There was no reported change in difficulty for performing activities in the clinic, emergency department, or operating room. Most respondents reported greater difficulty in socializing with others (74%), participating in social activities with coresidents (82%), and seeing their family (66%). Coronavirus disease 2019 has had a significant effect on the socialization of orthopaedic surgery trainees. DISCUSSION: Clinical exposure and engagement were marginally affected for most respondents, whereas academic and research activities were more greatly affected by the transition from in-person to online web platforms. These conclusions merit investigation of support systems for trainees and evaluating best practices moving forward.

COVID-19 and the transition to virtual teaching sessions in an orthopaedic surgery training program: a survey of resident perspectives.

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 has had a tremendous impact on medical education. Due to concerns of the virus spreading through gatherings of health professionals, in-person conferences and rounds were largely cancelled. The purpose of this study is the evaluate the implementation of an online educational curriculum by a major Canadian orthopaedic surgery residency program in response to COVID-19. METHODS: A survey was distributed to residents of a major Canadian orthopaedic surgery residency program from July 10th to October 24th, 2020. The survey aimed to assess residents' response to this change and to examine the effect that the transition has had on their participation, engagement, and overall educational experience. RESULTS: Altogether, 25 of 28 (89%) residents responded. Respondents generally felt the quality of education was superior (72%), their level of engagement improved (64%), and they were able to acquire more knowledge (68%) with the virtual format. Furthermore, 88% felt there was a greater diversity of topics, and 96% felt there was an increased variety of presenters. Overall, 76% of respondents felt that virtual seminars better met their personal learning objectives. Advantages reported were increased accessibility, greater convenience, and a wider breadth of teaching faculty. Disadvantages included that the virtual sessions felt less personal and lacked dynamic feedback to the presenter. CONCLUSIONS: Results of this survey reveal generally positive attitudes of orthopaedic surgery residents about the transition to virtual learning in the setting of an ongoing pandemic. This early evaluation and feedback provides valuable guidance on how to grow this novel curriculum and bring the frontier of virtual teaching to orthopaedic education long-term.

How real is a virtual interview? Perspectives of orthopaedic surgery residency directors.

OBJECTIVE: As a result of COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 US residency MATCH was devoid of the traditional in-person interviews. Herein, we assess the impact of Virtual Interviews (VIs) on resident selection, from the perspectives of Orthopedic Surgery (OS) Program Directors (PDs). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 14-item survey was sent to PDs of ACGME-accredited OS residencies. Questions were designed to assess the pros, cons, and robustness of VIs compared to their antecedent in-person format. RESULTS: Forty-seven PDs responded to our survey. VIs antagonized PDs' ability to assess applicants' fit to program (76.6%), commitment to specialty (64%), and interpersonal skills (68.1%). This led to heavier dependence upon applicants' portfolios (64%). Almost all respondents (97.9%) found VIs to be more cost-efficient, saving a median of $3000 in interview-related expenses. Overall, only 8.5% of PDs were willing to conduct exclusive VIs in future cycles, compared to the majority in favor of dual formats (51.5%) or exclusive in-person interviews (40.4%). CONCLUSIONS: VIs have been an overall success, making most PDs opt for dual interview formats in future cycles. How this technology is further implemented in the future remains to be seen.

How Did Coronavirus-19 Impact the Expenses for Medical Students Applying to an Orthopaedic Surgery Residency in 2020 to 2021?

BACKGROUND: Orthopaedic surgery is one of the most competitive specialties for residency applicants. For the 2021 residency match, the coronavirus-19 pandemic introduced complexity for programs and applicants because away rotations were limited and in-person interviews were cancelled. This may have changed the landscape in terms of expenses for candidates in important ways, but this topic has been insufficiently studied. QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: Given that in 2021, students did not attend away rotations and all interviews were held virtually, we asked (1) What were the financial savings associated with this change? (2) Was medical school geographic region associated with differences in expenses when applying to residency? METHODS: A retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of the 2020 and 2021 Texas Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency Dashboard database was performed. The data were derived from an online survey of a nationwide pool of applicants from 87% (123 of 141) of US allopathic medical schools upon conclusion of the match. The response percentage was 29% (521 of 1794). We believe this nationwide dataset represents the largest and most current data for this applicant group. Responses from applicants applying to orthopaedic surgery residency in the year before the COVID-19 pandemic application changes (2020) and during COVID-19 (2021) were queried and compared. After the orthopaedic surgery match, the database was evaluated for individual (application costs, away rotation expenses, and interview expenses) and total expenses for medical school seniors applying to orthopaedic surgery residency. Applicant characteristics were compared between application cycles. The 2020 to 2021 Texas Seeking Transparency in Application to Residency Dashboard database had 521 responses (n = 263 in 2020 and n = 258 in 2021) from applicants applying to orthopaedic surgery residency. Demographic and applicant characteristics were comparable between application cycles. Median expenses are reported with percentile distributions and geographic comparisons. A Mann-Whitney U test or Kruskal-Wallis H test was used to determine whether there were statistically significant differences in expenses between years and between medical school regions at a p value threshold of < 0.05. RESULTS: For all applicants, the median total expenses (USD 7250 versus USD 2250), application costs (USD 2250 versus USD 1750), away rotation expenses (USD 2750 versus USD 250), and interview expenses (USD 2250 versus USD 75) declined in 2021 compared with 2020 (all p < 0.001). The median total savings in expenses for all applicants in 2021 compared with 2020 was USD 5000. In 2021, median total expenses were lower in all geographic regions with the greatest savings from applicants in the West (USD 6000); in addition, the difference in median total expenses between the geographic region with the highest total expenses and the lowest total expenses was lower in the pandemic year than it was in the year prior (USD 1000 versus USD 1500; p < 0.001). In 2021, there were differences in total expenses between the Northeast (USD 1750), West (USD 1750), and Central (USD 2750) regions (p < 0.001). From 2020 to 2021, only application fees from Northeast applicants differed (USD 2250 versus USD 1250; p < 0.001). In 2020, interview expenses were not different between all regions (USD 2250 Northeast and West versus USD 2750 Central and South; p = 0.19); similarly in 2021, interview expenses were similar between all regions (USD 75 versus USD 75; p = 0.82). Finally, in 2020, Northeast (USD 3250) and Western (USD 3250) applicants spent more for away rotations than Southern (USD 2750) and Central (USD 2250) applicants (p = 0.01). In 2021, applicants from schools in the South (USD 250) and Central (USD 250) regions spent more than their counterparts (USD 0; p = 0.028). CONCLUSION: In the COVID-19 application cycle, the median expenditures of orthopaedic residency candidates were USD 5000 lower than they were in the previous year; the difference can be attributed to the use of virtual interviews and the lack of away rotations. There are geographic implications, with applicants from Western United States medical schools potentially saving the most. Despite the financial savings during the 2021 match, further study related to the long-term success of the current application process (both for applicants and programs) is needed. The recommendation in May 2020 by the AOA Council of Orthopaedic Residency Directors (CORD) to limit the number of applications submitted by candidates with USMLE Step 1 scores greater than 235 did not result in any considerable decline in applications submitted or expenses. A better understanding of how differences in these expenses may influence our specialty's ability to attract socioeconomically diverse candidates would be important, and we need to explore perceived and actual financial obstacles to obtaining this diversity in the application process. Finally, avenues should be explored by program directors and chairpersons to reduce the expenses of the traditional application process while maintaining recruitment of top candidates. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level IV, economic analysis.

Good Morning, Orthopods: The Growth and Future Implications of Podcasts in Orthopaedic Surgery.

BACKGROUND: As the landscape of medical education evolves with emerging technologies and the COVID-19 pandemic, e-learning platforms continue to gain popularity. Orthopaedic podcasts, a burgeoning e-learning platform, continue to gain traction; however, there is a paucity of information regarding their coverage of topics and their distribution over time. Therefore, our analysis sought to (1) characterize podcast content related to orthopaedic surgery, and (2) evaluate the changes in the prevalence of orthopaedic podcasts over the past 15 years. METHODS: Three common podcasting platforms (Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and Spotify) were queried using the key terms "orthopaedic," "orthopedic," and "ortho" in order to identify a list of podcasts that are related to orthopaedic surgery. For each unique orthopaedic podcast, the title, the show description, the number of episodes, the date of the first episode, the date of the most recent episode, and episode frequency were collected. Podcasts were then classified based on a predetermined list of podcast domains. The number of existing active (released within the last 3 months) orthopaedic podcasts was then trended on a monthly basis from 2011 to 2020. RESULTS: Ninety-four unique podcasts met inclusion criteria, 62 of which remained active as of October 25, 2020. The most common podcast domains were "general" (38 [40.4%]) and "clinical knowledge" (20 [21.3%]). Among the assessed podcasts, 90 (95.7%) utilized an exclusively audio format. The majority of podcasts were based in the United States (89.4%), included introductory music (72.3%), and included interviews (63.8%). Most podcast hosts were practicing orthopaedic surgeons (52.1%). Between January 2016 and October 2020, the number of active orthopaedic surgery podcasts grew more than twelvefold (1,240%) at an average rate of roughly 1 new podcast each month (average, 1.0 podcast; standard deviation, 1.8). DISCUSSION: The past decade has seen sizable growth in the number of readily available podcasts related to orthopaedic surgery. Additional research is required to independently assess the quality of these resources and their implications for remote trainee education.

COVID-19: Impact on Orthopaedic Graduate Medical Education in the U.S.: AOA Critical Issues Symposium.

ABSTRACT: The COVID-19 crisis has challenged the U.S. health-care system in a variety of ways, including how we teach and train orthopaedic surgery residents and fellows. During the spring of 2020, the cessation of all elective surgical procedures and the diminished number of outpatient visits challenged graduate medical education. While residency programs in less affected areas may not have had to make many dramatic adjustments, some of those located in pandemic hotspots had to redirect trainees from orthopaedic rotations to COVID-19 units. No matter the region, the time that trainees have spent in rotations has been altered, and absences have occurred due to quarantines. This symposium summarizes the impact of restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic on residency and fellowship programs from the perspectives of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME), a program director, and a graduating resident. Although new opportunities for virtual curricula, virtual surgical simulation, and virtual interviews have been innovated, residency programs and residents report primarily a negative effect from the pandemic due to decreased surgical volumes and the limitation of patient-care experiences. Ultimately, program directors have an obligation to the program, the trainee, and the general public to graduate only those residents and fellows who are truly prepared to practice independently; they have the responsibility of making the final decision regarding graduation. The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to underscore the need for competency-based medical education. Assessing competency includes evaluation of the knowledge, the operative skills, the nonoperative patient-care skills, and the professional behavior of each and every individual graduating from orthopaedic residency and fellowship training programs. A hybrid model for time and competency-based training, with established national standards not only for accreditation for our training programs but also for board certification of our graduating residents, was enhanced by the COVID-19 pandemic and is highlighted in this symposium.

Editorial Commentary: Simulation-Based Training in Orthopaedic Surgery: Current Evidence and Limitations.

Simulation-based training has been widely adopted by surgical educators and is now an essential component of the modern resident's skills acquisition pathway and career progression. The challenges faced by residents because of lack of exposure as a result of working-time directives-and now the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic limiting nonurgent and elective operating-reinforce the need for evidence-based simulation training. Although a wide range of training platforms have been developed, very few have shown transfer of skills. Simulation is thought to enhance the initial phase of the procedural learning curve; however, this hypothesis is yet to be tested in a high-quality study. Nevertheless, in light of the current evidence, simulation-based procedural curricula should be developed using the strengths of multiple different training platforms while incorporating the essential concept of nontechnical skills.

The Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Applicants During the 2021 Residency Match Cycle in the United States.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to quantify the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rising fourth-year medical students' plans to apply to residency in orthopaedic surgery. METHODS: We conducted a survey of rising fourth-year medical students. Primary outcome was the change in students' plans to apply to residency in orthopaedic surgery as measured by Likert scale response. Secondary outcomes were students' concerns about applying to residency during the pandemic. RESULTS: A total of 462 students were planning to apply to residency in orthopaedic surgery. Women said that they were "less likely" to apply to orthopaedic surgery because of the pandemic (14.9% versus 5.5% of men, P < 0.001). Students identifying as Black/African American said that they were "less likely" to apply (16.9% compared with 8.8 of non-Hispanic White, P < 0.001). Students said that they had "somewhat fewer" or "many fewer" opportunities to get adequate exposure to orthopaedic surgery to make a specialty choice (88.9% of students). DISCUSSION: We support the development of robust student advising and mentorship networks to address the uncertainty inherent in applying to residency during a global pandemic and curtail the racial and sex disparities discovered in this survey.

The response of Trauma & Orthopaedic Departments to the first four weeks of lockdown for the COVID-19 pandemic - A trainee-led analysis of the East of England.

Through a trainee research collaborative, we have studied the changes in practice of 12 T&O departments across the East of England over the first four weeks of the UK lockdown and COVID-19 pandemic, comparing to activity levels with the corresponding period in 2019. We focused on changes in T&O practice, training and redeployment of Trainees. Units differ considerably in several aspects of practice. We found a 97% reduction in elective operating, 64% reduction in elective outpatient activity and 37% reduction in operative trauma. 58% of trainees continued working in T&O clinics, with an average of 6 operative cases over this period. Our modelling suggests that the impact on training will persist; counter-measures must be incorporated into central recovery planning.

Reducing orthopaedic theatre exposure during the COVID-19 lockdown: does a shift towards virtual reality-based training offer a solution?

PerspectiveOrthopaedic training in the United Kingdom has changed little from the Halstedian apprenticeship model of graduated responsibility, with the mantra "see one, do one, teach one". Whilst still relevant in surgical teaching, the current and ongoing disruption to surgical training secondary to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak highlights the need for alternative methods of experiential surgical learning, which allow for the development of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes of orthopaedic surgeons, to be sought.

Resident, Fellow, and Attending Perception of E-Learning During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Implications on Future Orthopaedic Education.

INTRODUCTION: The purpose of the current study was to evaluate resident, fellow, and attending perspectives on the use of e-learning as part of orthopaedic surgery education. METHODS: A survey was created evaluating (1) overall attitudes toward e-learning, (2) multi-institutional e-learning/e-conferences, (3) national/regional e-conferences, and (4) future directions with e-learning. The survey was distributed to all the orthopaedic surgery residency program directors in the United States, and they were asked to circulate the survey to their program's faculty and trainees. RESULTS: A total of 268 responses were collected, including 100 attendings and 168 trainees. Overall satisfaction with e-learning compared with in-person learning was higher among trainees than attending faculty, with 51.4% of trainees favoring e-learning, as opposed to 32.2% of attendings (P = 0.006). Both groups felt they were more likely to pay attention with in-person learning (P = 0.89). During the COVID-19 pandemic, 85.7% of residents have used e-learning platforms to join a conference in their specialty of interest while off-service. Most attendings and trainees felt e-learning should play a supplemental role in standard residency/fellowship education, with a low number of respondents feeling that it should not be used (86.6% versus 84%, and 2.1% versus 0.6%, respectively, P = 0.28). CONCLUSION: E-learning has been an important modality to continue academic pursuits during the disruption in usual education and training schedules during the COVID-19 pandemic. Most trainees and attendings surveyed felt that e-learning should play a supplementary role in resident and fellow education moving forward. Although e-learning does provide an opportunity to hold multi-institutional conferences and makes participation in meetings logistically easier, it cannot fully replicate the dynamic interactions and benefits of in-person learning.

"Virtual" Boot Camp: Orthopaedic Intern Education in the Time of COVID-19 and Beyond.

The emergence of COVID-19 as a viral pandemic in early 2020 resulted in notable changes to the daily practice, workflow, and education of orthopaedic residencies internationally. In particular, social distancing, residency restructuring, and redeployment to other services has increased heterogeneity in schedules and made the in-person gathering of trainees for education increasingly challenging. These changes may last until 2024 based on some mathematical models, resulting in notable disruptions to orthopaedic education, especially for junior residents. Therefore, in this study, we describe how we converted our in-person PGY-1 skills course into a "virtual" boot camp based on validated training modules and existing American Board of Orthopaedic Surgeons guidelines. Lessons learned from the experience and potential areas for improvement in the use of newer technology to teach cognitive knowledge and skills modules are highlighted with the hope that this can be useful to other orthopaedic residency programs, during the pandemic and also beyond.

A 3-Dimensional-Printed Hand Model for Home-Based Acquisition of Fracture Fixation Skills Without Fluoroscopy.

OBJECTIVE: To design a low cost ($40), realistic and fluoroscopy-free percutaneous Kirschner wire hand fracture fixation training instrument kit for home-based skill acquisition during the COVID-19 pandemic. DESIGN: A 3D-printed hand was designed from a computed tomography scan of a healthy hand. These data were used to create replaceable hand and wrist bones and reusable silicone molds for a replica of the soft tissue envelope. The model is currently being integrated into the simulation curriculum at 2 integrated plastic surgery residency programs for training in percutaneous wire fixation of hand fractures. SETTING: Brown University, Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Large academic quaternary referral institution. Yale University, Yale School of Medicine. Department of Surgery, Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery. Large academic quaternary referral institution. PARTICIPANTS: PGY 1-4 plastic surgery residents preparing to meet ACGME Accreditation for Graduate Medical Education hand surgery specific milestones. RESULTS: A realistic and durable 3D model with interchangeable bones allows trainees to practice the key motor skills necessary for successful fixation of hand and wrist fractures with K-wires in a home-based setting. CONCLUSIONS: A low cost, realistic and durable 3D hand model with interchangeable bones allows easy integration into any home-based hand surgery curriculum. With 3D printers and programming becoming more prevalent and affordable, such models offer a means of low-cost and safe instruction of residents in fracture fixation with no harm to patients.

The Impact of COVID-19 on the Orthopaedic Surgery Residency Application Process.

Over recent months, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has swept the world as a global pandemic, largely changing the practice of medicine as it was previously known. Physician trainees have not been immune to these changes-uncertainty during this time is undeniable for medical students at all levels of training. Of particular importance is the potential impact of COVID-19 on the upcoming residency application process for rising fourth-year students; a further source of added complexity in light of the newly integrated allopathic and osteopathic match in the 2020 to 2021 cycle. Owing to the impact COVID-19 could have on the residency match, insight regarding inevitable alterations to the application process and how medical students can adapt is in high demand. Furthermore, it is very possible that programs will inquire about how applicants spent their time while not in the hospital because of COVID-19, and applicants should be prepared to provide a meaningful answer. Although competitive at a basal level, the complexity of COVID-19 now presents an unforeseen, superimposed development in the quest to match. In this article, we aim to discuss and provide potential strategies for navigating the impact of COVID-19 on the residency application process for orthopaedic surgery.

How Are Orthopaedic Surgery Residencies Responding to the COVID-19 Pandemic? An Assessment of Resident Experiences in Cities of Major Virus Outbreak.

BACKGROUND: In response to COVID-19, American medical centers have enacted elective case restrictions, markedly affecting the training of orthopaedic residents. Residencies must develop new strategies to provide patient care while ensuring the health and continued education of trainees. We aimed to describe the evolving impact of COVID-19 on orthopaedic surgery residents. METHODS: We surveyed five Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education-accredited orthopaedic residency programs within cities highly affected by the COVID-19 pandemic about clinical and curricular changes. An online questionnaire surveyed individual resident experiences related to COVID-19. RESULTS: One hundred twenty-one resident survey responses were collected. Sixty-five percent of the respondents have cared for a COVID-19-positive patient. One in three reported being unable to obtain institutionally recommended personal protective equipment during routine clinical work. All programs have discontinued elective orthopaedic cases and restructured resident rotations. Most have shifted schedules to periods of active clinical duty followed by periods of remote work and self-isolation. Didactic education has continued via videoconferencing. DISCUSSION: COVID-19 has caused unprecedented changes to orthopaedic training; however, residents remain on the front lines of inpatient care. Exposures to COVID-19 are prevalent and residents have fallen ill. Programs currently use a variety of strategies to provide essential orthopaedic care. We recommend continued prioritization of resident safety and necessary training accommodations.

How We Do It: Modified Residency Programming and Adoption of Remote Didactic Curriculum During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the modified operational plan we implemented for residents and faculty in our orthopedic surgery department to allow continuation of resident education and other core activities during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. DESIGN: Description of educational augmentation and programming modifications. SETTING: The Johns Hopkins Hospital and Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. PARTICIPANTS: Residents and faculty, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery. METHODS: In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we developed and implemented a modified operational schedule and remote curriculum in the orthopedic surgery department of our health system. Our plan was guided by the following principles: protecting the workforce while providing essential clinical care; maintaining continuity of education and research; and promoting social distancing while minimizing the impact on team psychosocial well-being. RESULTS: The operational schedule and remote curriculum have been implemented successfully and allow resident education and other core departmental functions to continue as our health care system responds to the pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: We have been proactive and deliberate in implementing these operational changes, without compromise of our workforce. This experience provides residents exposure to real-life systems-based practice. We hope that our early experience will provide a framework for other surgical residency programs facing this crisis.

The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery Response to COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted every aspect of society in a way never previously experienced by our nation's orthopaedic surgeons. In response to the challenges the American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery has taken steps to adapt our Board Certification and Continuous Certification processes. These changes were made to provide flexibility for as many Candidates and Diplomates as possible to participate while maintaining our high standards. The American Board of Orthopaedic Surgery is first and foremost committed to the safety and well-being of our patients, physicians, and families while striving to remain responsive to the changing circumstances affecting our Candidates and Diplomates.