A qualitative needs assessment of covid-19's impact on em interns

ABSTRACT

Learning Objectives: To characterize the impact that COVID-19 has had on the well-being and educational experience of EM interns in 2020 Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed an unprecedented challenge to our learners. EM interns this year began their training during a time of great need and with less clinical experience than those of prior years. Objectives: To characterize the impact that COVID-19 has had on the well-being and educational experience of EM interns in 2020. Methods: We conducted a 60-minute semi-structured focus group with 18 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 COVID. Interns also voiced frustration with the politicization of medicine and uncertainty about their roles as physicians during the pandemic. Minor themes included physical health, mental health, and grief related to COVID-19. 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. These results may inform future decisions regarding dedicated support and training necessary for this unique group of learners.