A Qualitative Needs Assessment of COVID-19's Impact on Emergency Medicine Interns

ABSTRACT

Study Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge to our learners. Emergency medicine interns this year began their training during a time of great need for skilled medical professionals and with less clinical experience than those of prior years. Methods: We conducted a 60-minute semi-structured focus group with 18 EM interns at a single residency program in July 2020. A recording of the interview was transcribed and de-identified. Using qualitative methods, initial coding was performed independently using an inductive and iterative process by two study authors with experience in qualitative methodology. Once saturation was achieved, final codes were re-applied by an initial coder and a third author. After consensus discussion, agreement reached 100%, and codes were grouped for thematic analysis. Results: We identified two major themes education and professional identity formation. Interns expressed concerns about the quality and breadth of their medical training during the COVID pandemic. Interns also voiced frustration with the politicization of medicine and uncertainty about their roles as physicians and public health advocates during the pandemic. Minor themes included physical health, mental health, and grief related to COVID-19. Interns reported experiencing several unique challenges to their emotional and mental health, including socially distancing during a period in their training when they traditionally rely on additional support systems and build new relationships. Conclusions: Our analysis suggests that new EM interns have significant concerns about their medical knowledge and the quality of their education as well as their identity as emergency physicians and public health advocates during the COVID pandemic. EM interns also reported unique challenges to their physical and mental health. These results may inform future decisions regarding dedicated support and training necessary for this unique group of learners. [Formula presented]