Methods
The ATC in collaboration with AHNS leadership determined in early March 2020 that the match deadline for the July 2021 class would need to be delayed from June 2020 to at least September 2020. Senior members of the ATC (DTW and AC) organized two separate phone conferences; the first with AHNS fellows on March 24, 2020 and the second with AHNS program directors on March 26, 2020. Follow-up online surveys were sent via email links to current AHNS fellows and AHNS program directors. The content of these calls and the focus of the survey questions included assessment of changes in didactic educational programs, impacts on current surgical and outpatient clinic experiences, assessment of fellow repurposing plans to meet anticipated needs related to COVID-19 patient surge, safety concerns regarding COVID-19, and impacts on this year’s clinical fellows’ job searches, including established and pending job offers.
Case log analysis was also performed to assess the impact of COVID-19 on the ability of current fellows to obtain adequate operative volume for certification. Values are based on data available in the online case log system administered by the ATC (data acquired between April 13-15, 2020). To supplement this data, the ATC also asked program directors and fellows to assess the trainee’s preparedness to start independent practice at the time of the survey. Lastly, fellows were queried if they had secured an employment position to start at the completion of fellowship and if, and in what way, their career choices had been impacted by the current pandemic.