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.