COVID-19 and the Impact on Surgical Fellows: Uniquely Vulnerable Learners.

ABSTRACT

Introduction The COVID 19 pandemic has affected education at all levels. Surgical fellows have faced unique challenges. PROBLEMS The authors address aspects of Canadian surgical fellowships that have been impacted by the pandemic. These include case volumes, training objectives, funding models, burden of stress and research productivity. SOLUTIONS Solutions are proposed including varying the mix of cases to meet objectives, pursuing alternative finance structures and leveraging technology for both research and advancing surgical technique. CONCLUSION: These solutions are offered to help mitigate the effects of future pandemics for both current and future surgical fellows.