Capturing the Perspective of Prospective Urology Applicants: Impacts of COVID-19 on Medical Education.
Urology
; 146: 36-42, 2020 12.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-811777
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To capture the perspective of prospective urology applicants experiencing unique challenges in the context of COVID-19.METHODS:
A voluntary, anonymous survey was distributed online, assessing the impact of COVID-19 on a large sample of US medical students planning to apply to urology residencies. Themes of (1) specialty discernment, (2) alterations to medical education, and (3) the residency application process were explored.RESULTS:
A total of 238 medical students, 87% third and fourth years, responded to the survey. While 85% indicated that the pandemic had not deterred their specialty choice, they noted substantial impacts on education, including 82% reporting decreased exposure to urology. Nearly half of students reported changes to required rotations and 35% reported changes to urology-specific rotations at their home institutions. Students shared concerns about suspending in-person experiences, including the impact on letters of recommendation (68% "very concerned) and program choice (73% "very concerned"). Looking to the possibility of virtual interactions, students identified the importance of small group and one-on-one communication with residents (83% "very important") and opportunities to learn about hospital facilities (72% "very important").CONCLUSION:
Despite the impacts of COVID-19 on medical education, prospective urology applicants appear to remain confident in their specialty choice. Students' biggest concerns involve disruption of away rotations, including impacts on obtaining letters of recommendation and choosing a residency program.
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Students, Medical
/
Urology
/
Pandemics
/
COVID-19
/
Internship and Residency
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
/
Prognostic study
/
Qualitative research
/
Randomized controlled trials
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
North America
Language:
English
Journal:
Urology
Year:
2020
Document Type:
Article
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