DISCUSSION
The Otolaryngology residency program is facing many challenges due to the suspension of the elective clinical procedures and surgeries in light of the high risk of infection, affecting the residents participation in the OR. In this descriptive study we present the report of an Otolaryngology residency program adapting to the ongoing pandemia.
This topic is also addressed by Crosbyet al. where the impact of SARS-CoV2 on American Otolaryngology residency programs is analyzed in terms of the expected decline in overall experience and accomplishment of the minimum key indicators established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education. This especially affects residents coursing the last two years of their program. Other subjects are also discussed, particularly the implementation of online consortia didactic sessions, changes in the American Board of otolaryngology requirements, and the flexibility requested from supervision organizations9. Moreover, Comeret al. discusses how COVID-19 induced limitations have affected Otolaryngology training, and as a result three consortia have been developed in Otolaryngology residency education, including the “Collaborative Multi-Institutional Otolaryngology Residency Education Program”. They also mention the possible need of at-home simulation models depending on the quarantine’s duration10.
The COVID-19 pandemic is now affecting most residency programs, but specifically the Otolaryngology program due to the risks involved in upper-airway manipulation. There is no knowledge on how long the pandemic will last and how deeply it will affect the current resident cohort. We believe that adapting the program and keeping a close follow-up on indicators regarding residents participation in outpatient practice, procedures, and surgeries should be addressed in the future so we can design a further personalized reinforcement resident to resident. At the moment our program is considering as future options: rural surgical operatives to increase the number of surgeries performed by residents, case by case extension of the formative period, among others.