RESUMEN
Introduction The COVID-19 pandemic presented unpredicted challenges to Emergency Medicine (EM) education. The rapid onset of the pandemic created clinical, operational, administrative, and home-life challenges for virtually every member of the medical education community, demanding an educational and professional response at all levels including undergraduate medical education (UME), graduate medical education (GME), and faculty. The Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD) COVID-19 Educational Impact Task Force was established in 2021 to examine these effects and the response of the EM educational community. Methods The Task Force utilized consensus methodology to develop the survey instruments, which were revised using a modified Delphi process. Both open- and closed-answer questions were included in the survey, which was initially distributed electronically to attendees of the 2021 Virtual Academic Assembly. Results were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Results Sixty-three individuals responded to the first part of the survey (which addressed issues related to UME and GME) and 41 individuals responded to the second part of the survey (which addressed faculty and wellness). The pandemic's influence on EM education was viewed in both a positive and negative light. The transition to virtual platforms had various impacts, including innovation and engagement via technology. Remote technology improved participation in didactics and allowed individuals to more easily participate in departmental meetings. However, this also led to a decreased sense of connection with peers and colleagues resulting in a mixed picture for overall engagement and effectiveness. The Task Force has developed a list of recommendations for best practices for EM programs and for EM organizations. Conclusion The survey results articulated the educational benefits and challenges faced by EM educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through the challenging times of the pandemic, many institutional and program-based innovations were developed and implemented to address the new educational environment. These approaches will provide invaluable educational tools for future training. This will also prepare the EM academic community to respond to future educational disruptions.
RESUMEN
Introduction The Standardized Video Interview (SVI) was a residency application component introduced by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) as a supplement to the existing process, which aimed to measure knowledge of professional behaviors and interpersonal skills. Given its novelty in both aim and execution, little advice or experience was available to inform preparation strategies. We sought to perform a cross-sectional analysis to explore advisors' practices in guiding students' preparation for the SVI. Methods An electronic questionnaire was developed and piloted for flow and usability, then distributed to all members of the Council of Residency Directors in Emergency Medicine (CORD EM), the professional society for emergency medicine educators, via listserv, comprised of 270 residency programs. Questions were both open- and closed-ended and therefore analyzed in a mixed-method fashion. Results We received 56 responses from a listserv representing 270 residency programs. Respondents cited personal experience and consensus opinions from national organizations as the primary sources for their advice. The most common resources offered to students were space for completing the SVI (41%) or technical support for completing the SVI (47%). The time committed to student advising specifically for the SVI ranged from zero to 20 hours. Estimated associated costs of preparation ranged from zero up to $10,000 (time plus resources). Two individuals reported recommending commercial preparation resources to students. Conclusion The SVI was a novel attempt to augment the resident application process. We found variability in resources and advice offered to students, including broad ranges of time dedicated, the monetary value of resources contributed, and the types of resources utilized. As the global COVID-19 pandemic has inspired a wave of innovation and process changes, we present this data for consideration as a snapshot of the variable responses to a single uniform process change.