[Neurology Training in the US During the COVID-19 era].

ABSTRACT

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on neurology residency education and services in the United States. The responsibility of residents was shifted from traditional house staff to frontline providers in the face of the pandemic. As such, a dynamic and rapid transformation was required, involving the development of strong leadership and teamwork skills, while protecting patients and providers from infection and ensuring the quality of education and training. Because of the increased demand from inpatient care and the risk of potential exposure to the virus, a modified rotation schedule was implemented by removing residents from outpatient clinics and minimizing their role in inpatient services. In order to maintain social distances, didactic lectures were conducted only via online platforms, and outpatients were only provided telemedicine. Although the pandemic has taken some of the in-person educational opportunities from residents, innovative changes including video conferences and telemedicine will likely continue to be used as a useful mode of medical training for residents. Herein, the author reports the changes made to the neurology residency program in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the evolution of leadership roles during this unprecedented time.