Residents’ Report of COVID-19 Associated Training Disruptions, Stressors, and Opportunities During the Pandemic—The Singapore Experience

Abstract

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted residency training. Several studies have been performed to investigate the impact of the pandemic on residency training in Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education–International (ACGME-I)-accredited institutions. However, these were either limited to certain specialties or failed to consider possible opportunities from the pandemic. Objective To determine the stressors on residents as well as the opportunities that arose from the COVID-19 pandemic across multiple specialities in Singapore. Methods A cross-sectional survey among SingHealth residents was conducted between July and September 2020. The survey assessed the balance between service and training during hospital postings, the pandemic’s influence on examination and teaching, the psychological impact of the pandemic, the level of burnout, and the effect on morale of residents during the pandemic. Results The response rate was 27.1% (253 of 934). Out of the 253 residents, 136 (53.8%) felt stressed during the pandemic. Concerns about family’s health and safety pertaining to potential COVID-19 infection, progression in training, and completion of examinations were the top 3 stressors. One-hundred and three residents (40.7%) had their training disrupted either by being placed in an interim posting not part of their residency requirements or being deployed to care for patients with COVID-19. Although administrative support and information for virtual teaching were sufficient, only 108 (42.7%) agreed it had the same value as face-to-face sessions. Despite the challenges, 179 (70.8%) thought that experiencing this crisis provided more meaning in their career. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic has brought about challenges and learning opportunities for residents.