Effect of Covid-19 Pandemic on Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Case Logs: Analysis of the Accreditation Council of Graduate Medical Education National Data Reports

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Given widespread disruptions to healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic, the objective was to assess the national case logs of graduating Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS) fellows for effects on surgical volume. METHOD(S) The nationally aggregated Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education case logs were obtained for graduating FPMRS fellows, both urology and obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN), for available academic years (AYs) 2018-2019, 2019-2020, and 2020- 2021. Standard deviation was derived from percentile data. Case volume differences for tracked index category averages were compared between AYs with one-way analysis of variance. RESULT(S) Graduating fellows logged an average of 517.4 (SD 28.6) and 818.0 (SD 37.9) cases, for urology and OBGYN respectively, over their fellowship training during the examined period. Total surgical procedures were not statistically different between pre-COVID AY 2018- 2019 and COVID-affected AYs 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 for either specialty. For urology fellows, the only index case category with a statistically significant difference was a decrease in AY 2020-2021 compared to 2019-2020 in GI procedures (8.9 vs 4.2, p=0.04). Reclassification of mesh removal cases to genital procedures in 2020- 2021 resulted in a statistical decrease for both specialties of graft/mesh augmentation prolapse cases for that same AY. There were no other statistically significant differences between AYs for OBGYN fellows. CONCLUSION(S) Compared to pre-pandemic case volumes, FPMRS urology and FPMRS OBGYN graduating fellow surgical volume remained stable. Both total surgical procedures and index case categories showed no statistically significant difference between pre-COVID and COVID-affected years. Despite nationwide disruptions in health care, FPMRS trainee case volumes remained consistent.