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Kortz MW, Shlobin NA, Radwanski RE, Zappi KE, Johnson JN. The Perceived Utility of 3 Online Resources for Medical Student Neurosurgery Education. World Neurosurg 2022; 163:205-213. [PMID: 35729822 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Neurosurgery has a high barrier of educational access for medical students. The Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center (MSNTC) is a novel online learning platform that provides on-site and virtual training opportunities and resources that aim to increase student access to neurosurgical education. The objective of this article was to describe student-reported utility of Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center educational resources. METHODS A Qualtrics survey was sent to attendees after the 2020 Virtual Neurosurgery Training Camp. Ratings were quantified on modified 5-point Likert scales and compared using Wilcoxon rank sum tests, with a P value of 0.05. RESULTS Response was obtained from 119 (25.2%) of 473 Virtual Neurosurgery Training Camp registrants. Of respondents, 65 (54.6%) reported prior use of Brain & Spine Report (BSR), 68 (57.14%) reported use of the Video Library (VL), and 78 (65.5%) reported use of the Global Events Calendar (GEC). Among respondents who previously used the BSR, VL, or GEC, mean ratings of usefulness were 3.94 ± 1.01, 4.06 ± 0.91, and 4.10 ± 0.99, respectively. Medical students with a neurosurgery interest group at their home institution reported greater utility of the BSR (P = 0.0008), VL (P = 0.0018), and GEC (P = 0.0250). Medical students with a home program reported greater utility of the BSR (P = 0.0079), and international students reported greater utility of the VL (P = 0.0447). CONCLUSIONS Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center resources appear to have promising preliminary benefits for students. Increasing medical student awareness, continued development of these resources, and objectively assessing outcomes in neurosurgery education are warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Kortz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Nathan A Shlobin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Ryan E Radwanski
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA.
| | - Kyle E Zappi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Jeremiah N Johnson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
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2
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Snyder MH, Reddy VP, Iyer AM, Ganju A, Selden NR, Johnson JN, Wolfe SQ. Applying to residency: survey of neurosurgical residency applicants on virtual recruitment during COVID-19. J Neurosurg 2022; 137:273-282. [PMID: 34826806 DOI: 10.3171/2021.8.jns211600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant disruption to residency recruitment, including a sudden, comprehensive transition to virtual interviews. The authors sought to characterize applicant experiences and perceptions concerning the change in the application, interview, and match process for neurological surgery residency during the 2020-2021 recruitment cycle. METHODS A national survey of neurosurgical residency applicants from the 2020-2021 application cycle was performed. This survey was developed in cooperation with the Society of Neurological Surgeons (SNS) and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons Young Neurosurgeons Committee (YNC) and sent to all applicants (n = 280) who included academic video submissions to the SNS repository as part of their application package. These 280 applicants accounted for 69.6% of the total 402 neurosurgical applicants this year. RESULTS Nearly half of the applicants responded to the survey (44.3%, 124 of 280). Applicants favored additional reform of the interview scheduling process, including a centralized scheduling method, a set of standardized release dates for interview invitations, and interview caps for applicants. Less than 8% of students desired a virtual-only platform in the future, though the majority of applicants supported incorporating virtual interviews as part of the process to contain applicant costs and combining them with traditional in-person interview opportunities. Program culture and fit, as well as clinical and research opportunities in subspecialty areas, were the most important factors applicants used to rank programs. However, subjective program "fit" was deemed challenging to assess during virtual-only interviews. CONCLUSIONS Neurosurgery resident applicants identified standardized interview invitation release dates, centralized interview scheduling methods, caps on the number of interviews available to each candidate, and regulated opportunities for both virtual and in-person recruitment as measures that could significantly improve the applicant experience during and effectiveness of future neurosurgery residency application cycles. Applicants prioritized program culture and "fit" during recruitment, and a majority were open to incorporating virtual elements into future cycles to reduce costs while retaining in-person opportunities to gauge programs and their locations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Harrison Snyder
- 1Department of Neurosurgery, Tufts Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts
| | - Vamsi P Reddy
- 2Department of Neurosurgery, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas
| | - Ankitha M Iyer
- 3Department of Neurosurgery, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
| | - Aruna Ganju
- 4Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois
| | - Nathan R Selden
- 5Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon
| | - Jeremiah N Johnson
- 6Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas; and
- 7Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Stacey Q Wolfe
- 3Department of Neurosurgery, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina
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3
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Radwanski RE, Guadix SW, Rothbaum M, Shlobin NA, Kortz MW, Evins A, Pannullo SC. New Educational Paradigms in Neurosurgery and a Novel Learning Platform. World Neurosurg 2022; 163:151-154. [PMID: 35729815 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2022.04.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ryan E Radwanski
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Rutgers University, Newark, New Jersey, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA.
| | - Sergio W Guadix
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Michael Rothbaum
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Nathan A Shlobin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Michael W Kortz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Alexander Evins
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Susan C Pannullo
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
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4
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Mulligan KM, Pan X, Gerges C, Rabah NM, Selden NR, Wolfe SQ, Wright CH, Wright JM. The 2021 Neurosurgery Match: An analysis of the impact of virtual interviewing and other COVID-19 related changes. World Neurosurg 2021; 162:e8-e13. [PMID: 34864190 PMCID: PMC8989630 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.11.109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2021] [Revised: 11/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Given safety concerns during the COVID-19 pandemic, residency programs suspended away rotations in 2021 and the interview process transitioned to a virtual video format. In this study, we assessed the extent to which these changes affected match outcomes and if medical school ranking, international graduate status, or affiliation with a home neurosurgery program affected these outcomes. A cross-sectional analysis of neurosurgery match data from 2016-2021 was performed, and match outcomes were assessed based on matched program geography and program research ranking. Chi square tests were performed to identify significant differences between 2021 and 2016-2020 match results. A total of 1324 confirmed matched neurosurgery residents were identified from 2016-2021 (2016-2020: n=1113, 2021: n=211). There was no statistically significant difference in the rates of matching at a home program, within state, or within region between 2021 and 2016-2020 in the overall cohort. Proportions of international graduates and students without home programs among matched applicants were unchanged in 2021. In 2021, students from top 25 medical schools were less likely to match within their state or region (p<.05). Our findings may reflect an enhanced weighting given by programs to applicants from top medical schools in the absence of data from in-person rotations and interviews. These findings, coupled with the potential benefits of an increasingly virtual application process in improving equity and diversity among candidates from underrepresented communities, should be considered when determining permanent modifications to future residency application cycles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Xuankang Pan
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Christina Gerges
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Nicholas M Rabah
- School of Medicine, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Nathan R Selden
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA
| | - Stacey Q Wolfe
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Wake Forest Baptist Health, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Christina Huang Wright
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - James M Wright
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
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5
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Afghani B. COVID-19 pandemic: a catalyst for transformation of a summer online research program. MEDICAL EDUCATION ONLINE 2021; 26:1886029. [PMID: 33567998 PMCID: PMC7889138 DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2021.1886029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 02/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/02/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In view of limited resources during the COVID-19 pandemic, there is an urgent need to create novel programs to meet the changing demands of trainees towards developing and strengthening their skills in healthcare research. During the COVID-19 pandemic, digital learning has become an invaluable tool by providing more learning opportunities. Through the use of platforms available for distant learning, we made our pre-existing online research program more interactive. Through collaboration in small groups, the trainees developed their research and mentorship skills and were able to meet the goal of submitting their research projects as abstracts. All of the abstracts were accepted for publication.
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Affiliation(s)
- Behnoosh Afghani
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California Irvine, Orange, CA, USA
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Esquivel EL, De Angelis P, Chae JK, Safdieh JE, Abramson EL, Kang Y. Transitioning preclinical students into clerkships amidst curricular disruptions from the COVID-19 pandemic. MEDICAL EDUCATION ONLINE 2021; 26:1996216. [PMID: 34710002 PMCID: PMC8555517 DOI: 10.1080/10872981.2021.1996216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant disruptions to medical education. The patient care space was unavailable as a learning environment, which compounded the complexity of preparing students for clerkships with a traditional transition to clerkship (TTC) curriculum. We developed a multimodal, structured approach to re-introduce students to the clinical space prior to the start of clerkships. 105 second year medical students completed a 4-week clinical enhancement course. A modified Delphi method was used to select core topics, which were then anchored to key Entrustable Professional Activities (EPAs). Students participated in 9 virtual problem-based cases, workshops and multiple supervised patient encounters. Students were surveyed before, during, and after the course; responses were compared with paired t-tests. 25.9% rated the course as excellent, 44.2% as very good, and 19.5% as good. Compared to baseline, self-perceived efficacy grew significantly (P < 0.05) across all EPAs. Improvements in key competencies were sustained when students were surveyed 2 weeks into their first clerkship. This was a well-received, novel course, focused on helping students transition back into the clinical space through a multimodal teaching approach. This framework may be used by other institutions seeking to restructure their TTC initiatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernie L. Esquivel
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- School of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, Ny, USA
| | | | - John K. Chae
- School of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, Ny, USA
| | | | - Erika L. Abramson
- Department of Pediatrics, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Population Health Sciences, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, Ny, USA
| | - Yoon Kang
- Division of General Internal Medicine, Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
- School of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, Ny, USA
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Khalafallah AM, Jimenez AE, Lam S, Gami A, Dornbos DL, Sivakumar W, Johnson JN, Mukherjee D. Burnout among medical students interested in neurosurgery during the COVID-19 era. Clin Neurol Neurosurg 2021; 210:106958. [PMID: 34624828 PMCID: PMC8493812 DOI: 10.1016/j.clineuro.2021.106958] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/03/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 09/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Objective The novel Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has posed unprecedented new stressors to medical student education. This national survey investigated the prevalence of burnout in U.S. medical students interested in pursuing neurosurgical residency during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A 24-question survey was sent to all American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) medical student chapter members. The abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (aMBI) was used to measure the following burnout metrics: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment. Bivariate analyses were conducted and multivariate analyses were performed using a logistic regression models. Results 254 medical students were included (response rate of 14.5%). The majority were male (55.1%), White (66.1%), and between their 2nd and 3rd years in medical school (62.6%). Burnout was identified in 38 (15.0%) respondents, a rate lower than reported in the pre-COVID era. In multivariate analysis, burnout was significantly associated with choosing not to pursue, or feeling uncertain about pursuing, a medical career again if given the choice (OR = 3.40, p = 0.0075), having second thoughts about choosing to pursue neurosurgery (OR = 3.47, p = 0.0025), attending a medical program in the Northeast compared to the Southeast (OR = 0.32, p = 0.027) or Southwest U.S. (OR = 0.30, p = 0.046), and indicating that one’s future clinical performance will have worsened due to COVID-19 (OR = 2.71, p = 0.025). Conclusions Our study demonstrates relatively low rates of burnout among U.S. medical students interested in pursuing neurosurgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our findings also demonstrate multiple factors may aid in early identification of burnout, highlighting potential opportunities for intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adham M Khalafallah
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Adrian E Jimenez
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Shravika Lam
- Department of Neurosurgery, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, TN, USA
| | - Abhishek Gami
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - David L Dornbos
- Department of Neurosurgery, The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Walavan Sivakumar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Pacific Neuroscience Institute, Santa Monica, CA, USA
| | - Jeremiah N Johnson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Debraj Mukherjee
- Department of Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA.
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8
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Kortz MW, Shlobin NA, Radwanski RE, Mureb M, DiGiorgio AM. Virtual Neurosurgery Education for Medical Students without Home Residency Programs: A Survey of 2020 Virtual Neurosurgery Training Camp Attendees. World Neurosurg 2021; 157:e148-e155. [PMID: 34619405 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.09.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 09/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To examine the perceived effectiveness of the virtual neurosurgery training camps (VNTC) among medical students with (HP) and without (NHP) home neurosurgery residency programs. METHODS A survey assessing demographics, baseline interests, and ratings of usefulness and interest of programming was sent to attendees after the VNTC. Ratings were quantified on modified 7-point Likert scales. Ratings were compared between attendees HP and NHP neurosurgery residency programs using Wilcoxon sum-rank or χ2 tests. A P value of 0.05 determined significance. RESULTS There were 119 respondents, with 80 (67.2%) HP and 39 (32.8%) NHP students. Differences were observed between the groups for medical school type (P = 0.002), highest degree achieved (P = 0.030), previous participation in a Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center event (P = 0.004), having a neurosurgery interest group (P < 0.001), and primary reason for VNTC attendance (P = 0.028). Increased interest in peripheral nerve neurosurgery was greater for the NHP (P = 0.047) but not neurosurgery or other subspecialties. A significant difference in usefulness of the different VNTC sessions was observed (P = 0.002), whereas none was seen in willingness to pursue neurosurgery (P = 0.33), likelihood of taking a year off (P = 0.44), and preparedness for subinternships (P = 0.57) or applications (P = 0.77). CONCLUSIONS The 2020 VNTC benefited both HPO and NHP medical students, but there were differences in perceived usefulness of virtual education. Future initiatives should continue to be tailored toward disadvantaged students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Kortz
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA.
| | - Nathan A Shlobin
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Ryan E Radwanski
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Monica Mureb
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York Medical College and Westchester Medical Center, Valhalla, New York, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
| | - Anthony M DiGiorgio
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, USA; Medical Student Neurosurgery Training Center, Brain and Spine Group, Inc., Pasadena, California, USA
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9
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A National Survey Evaluating the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Students Pursuing Careers in Neurosurgery. NEUROSCI 2021; 2:320-333. [PMID: 36091326 PMCID: PMC9457230 DOI: 10.3390/neurosci2040023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly disrupted medical education and the residency application process. Methods: We conducted a descriptive observational study in April 2020 of medical students and foreign medical graduates considering or pursuing careers in neurosurgery in the United States to examine the impact of the pandemic. Results: A total of 379 respondents from 67 medical schools completed the survey. Across all participants, 92% (n = 347) stopped in-person didactic education, and 43% (n = 161) experienced basic science and 44% (n = 167) clinical research delays. Sixty percent (n = 227) cited a negative impact on academic productivity. Among first year students, 18% (n = 17) were less likely to pursue a career in neurosurgery. Over half of second year and third year students were likely to delay taking the United States Medical Licensing Examination Steps I and II. Among third year students, 77% (n = 91) reported indefinite postponement of sub-internships, and 43% (n = 53) were unsatisfied with communication from external programs. Many fourth-year students (50%, n = 17) were graduating early to participate in COVID-19-related patient care. Top student-requested support activities included access to student-focused educational webinars and sessions at upcoming conferences. Conclusions: Medical students pursuing careers in neurosurgery faced unique academic, career, and personal challenges secondary to the pandemic. These challenges may become opportunities for new initiatives guided by professional organizations and residency programs.
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10
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Ottinger ME, Farley LJ, Harding JP, Harry LA, Cardella JA, Shukla AJ. Virtual medical student education and recruitment during the COVID-19 pandemic. Semin Vasc Surg 2021; 34:132-138. [PMID: 34642033 PMCID: PMC8310665 DOI: 10.1053/j.semvascsurg.2021.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Due to the immediate need for social distancing, as well as widespread disruption in clinical practices, brought on by the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19) pandemic, medical student education rapidly shifted to a virtual format, which resulted in a variety of innovative and remotely accessible practices to address new restrictions on face-to-face education. Educators approached curriculum design seeking to replicate as much of the in-person experience as possible, and were faced with overcoming the challenges of replacing the innately hands-on nature of surgery with virtual operative and skills experiences. Restrictions on in-person visiting electives expedited the role of virtual education as a notable opportunity for medical student education and recruitment, with a variety of approaches to engaging undergraduate medical learners, including the use of live-streaming operative cases, virtual didactic curricula, and a rise in podcasts; web-based conferences; and virtual journal clubs. In addition to education, virtual outreach to medical students has become an essential tool in trainee recruitment and selection, and ongoing application of novel educational platforms will allow for new opportunities in multi-institutional collaboration and exchange with a multitude of benefits to future vascular surgery trainees. Our aim was to outline the resources and practices used to virtually teach and recruit medical students and the benefits of virtual rotations to the program and students.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mary E. Ottinger
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 2 Tampa General Circle, Tampa, FL 33606,Corresponding author
| | - Lauren J. Farley
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 2 Tampa General Circle, Tampa, FL 33606
| | - Joel P. Harding
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, University of California Davis Medical Center, 4860 Y Street, Suite 2100, Sacramento, CA 95817
| | - Lauren A. Harry
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 2 Tampa General Circle, Tampa, FL 33606
| | - Jonathan A. Cardella
- Yale Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 330 Cedar Street, Boardman Building 204, PO Box 208062, New Haven, CT, 06520-8062
| | - Ankur J. Shukla
- Department of Surgery, Division of Vascular Surgery, University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, 2 Tampa General Circle, Tampa, FL 33606
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11
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Brown NJ, Wilson CM, Detchou DKE. Letter to the Editor. Social media in neurosurgery recruitment during COVID-19 and beyond. Neurosurg Focus 2021; 51:E25. [PMID: 34333467 DOI: 10.3171/2021.5.focus21296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nolan J Brown
- 1University of California Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, Orange, CA
| | - Chidinma M Wilson
- 2Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
| | - Donald K E Detchou
- 3Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA and.,4Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
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12
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Kortz MW, McCray E, Lillehei KO, DiGiorgio AM. Letter: A Novel Neurosurgery Virtual Interest Group for Disadvantaged Medical Students: Lessons Learned for the Postpandemic Era. Neurosurgery 2021; 89:E253-E254. [PMID: 34293167 DOI: 10.1093/neuros/nyab267] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Michael W Kortz
- Department of Neurosurgery University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Edwin McCray
- Department of Neurosurgery Duke University Medical Center Durham, North Carolina, USA
| | - Kevin O Lillehei
- Department of Neurosurgery University of Colorado School of Medicine Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Anthony M DiGiorgio
- Department of Neurosurgery University of California San Francisco, California, USA
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13
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A Proposed Model for a Comprehensive Virtual Sub-Internship in Vascular Surgery. J Vasc Surg 2021; 74:2064-2071.e5. [PMID: 34182033 DOI: 10.1016/j.jvs.2021.05.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Understand challenges, advantages, and applications of a vascular surgery virtual sub-internship (VSI) curriculum. METHODS Our institution hosted 25 students for 4-week VSI rotations. We held two sessions, one in July 2020 and another in August 2020. The students participated in a curriculum centered around Zoom® and phone interactions with residents and faculty. The curriculum included selected readings, surgical videos, group didactics and 1-on-1 mentorship. Anonymous pre-rotation and post-rotation self-assessments were used to ascertain achievement of learning objectives and utility of educational tools implemented during the rotation. Faculty and resident mentors were also surveyed to assess their experience. RESULTS With the exception of knot tying techniques (p=0.67), students reported significant improvement in their understanding vascular surgery concepts after the virtual elective (p < 0.05). The highest ranked components of the course were interpersonal including interaction with faculty, mentorship, and learning the program culture. The lowest ranked components of the course were simulation training and research opportunities. Rating of utility for aspects of the course were consistent with ranking of components, with faculty interaction having the highest average rating. The ideal number of hours for daily virtual interaction reported by students ranged from 3 to 6 with a median of 4. Overall, the majority of mentors were satisfied with virtual course. However, they did report limited ability to assess student personality and fit for the program. The number of hours per week spent by mentors on the virtual vascular surgery rotation ranged from 2 to 7 with a median of 4. Fourteen out of seventeen mentors reported that having a virtual student was significant addition to their existing workload. CONCLUSIONS Overall, our student and mentor feedback were positive. Several challenges inherent to the virtual environment still need to be refined, however the goals of a VSI are distinct and should be explored by training programs. With changes to healthcare in the United States in the horizon and the arrival of SARS-CoV2 pandemic constraints, implementing a virtual away rotation may be an acceptable platform for adapting our recruitment strategies.
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Pannullo SC, Guadix SW, Souweidane MM, Juthani RG, Baaj AA, Dupree T, Strybing K, Henry RF, Linen H, O'Neill J, Stieg PE. COVID-19: A Time Like No Other in (the Department of) Neurological Surgery. World Neurosurg 2021; 148:256-262. [PMID: 33770848 PMCID: PMC7982988 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.11.166] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has disrupted lives and indelibly impacted the practice of medicine since emerging as a pandemic in March 2020. For neurosurgery departments throughout the United States, the pandemic has created unique challenges across subspecialties in devising methods of triage, workflow, and operating room safety. Located in New York City, at the early epicenter of the COVID-19 crisis, the Weill Cornell Medicine Department of Neurological Surgery was disrupted and challenged in many ways, requiring adaptations in clinical operations, workforce management, research, and education. Through our department's collective experience, we offer a glimpse at how our faculty and administrators overcame obstacles, and transformed in the process, at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susan C Pannullo
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
| | | | - Mark M Souweidane
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rupa G Juthani
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ali A Baaj
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Tracey Dupree
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Kristin Strybing
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Roseann F Henry
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Harry Linen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - John O'Neill
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Philip E Stieg
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
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15
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16
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D'Amico RS, Immidisetti AV, Katz J, White T, Bedi A, Baum G, Ellis J, Levine M, Ortiz R, Boockvar JA, Langer DJ. Web-Based Education and Social Media Increase Access to Careers in Neurosurgery: The Lenox Hill Hospital BRAINterns Experience. World Neurosurg 2021; 150:e445-e465. [PMID: 33741545 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2021.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 03/06/2021] [Accepted: 03/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To replace educational opportunities lost during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the Department of Neurosurgery at Lenox Hill Hospital produced an open-access webinar series ("BRAINterns") that covered a broad range of health care topics with a focus on neurosurgery. METHODS This 8-week webinar series ran from July 1 to August 28, 2020. An optional exit survey was distributed to participants. Data were analyzed to characterize and better understand trends among a global cohort of participants. RESULTS A total of 16,484 people registered for BRAINterns, and 6675 took the survey (40.5% response rate). Responders represented 87 countries, of which the majority were from the United States and Canada (90.48%, n = 6039). Responders were primarily female (82.9%, n = 5521). Racial and ethnic representation was majority Asian (42%, n = 2798), followed by White (22.7%, n = 1514), Hispanic/Latino (16.2%, n = 1080), and Black and African American (7.7%, n = 516). Participants reported hearing about BRAINterns through various social media platforms (72.18%, n = 4818)-the most popular was TikTok (33.4%, n = 2232). Overall, 93.4% of participants reported that the course was a good use of their time during the pandemic, and 86.7% reported that the course helped replace lost opportunities. CONCLUSIONS These data demonstrate that webinar-based education is an effective method of expanding access to careers in medicine and in particular, neurosurgery, to traditionally underrepresented populations. Social media can be a powerful tool to combat barriers to early exposure and vastly improve diversity within the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Randy S D'Amico
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA.
| | - Amanda V Immidisetti
- Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA
| | - Joshua Katz
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
| | - Tim White
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
| | - Anupama Bedi
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
| | - Griffin Baum
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jason Ellis
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
| | - Mitchell Levine
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
| | - Rafael Ortiz
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
| | - John A Boockvar
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
| | - David J Langer
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Lenox Hill Hospital/Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra, New York, New York, USA
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Chytas D, Salmas M, Piagkou M, Johnson EO. Decline of Cadaveric Dissection in Anatomy Education During the Covid-19 Pandemic: Can it Affect Future Surgeons' Competency? ANATOMICAL SCIENCES EDUCATION 2021; 14:166-168. [PMID: 33369109 DOI: 10.1002/ase.2043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 12/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Chytas
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, European University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
| | - Marios Salmas
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Piagkou
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Elizabeth O Johnson
- Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, European University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Dean's Office, School of Medicine, European University of Cyprus, Nicosia, Cyprus
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18
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Madiyal A, Bhat S, Babu GS, Achalli S. Impact of COVID-19 on Dental Education. JOURNAL OF HEALTH AND ALLIED SCIENCES NU 2021. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0040-1722792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWith the closure of educational institutions across the world, didactic education has come to a stop from the level of primary education up to the level of professional training. Due to the discovery of a high viral load in saliva, dental schools have been considered as a hub of potential disease transmission. Students have reported anxiety over their safety, availability of learning resources, and retaining their efficiency of patient care after dental schools open. Administrators and educators are scrambling to ensure an effective learning experience while retaining the flexibility to adapt to new challenges. Ensuring a uniform grading system for year-end examinations, exit, and entrance examinations will help young professionals retain their career momentum. Problem-based learning, case-based and team-based learning, objective structured clinical examinations, and flipped classrooms are some of the methods that can be used to continue e-learning among dental students while we learn to live in this “new normal” situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ananya Madiyal
- Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Supriya Bhat
- Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - G. Subhas Babu
- Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
| | - Sonika Achalli
- Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, A.B. Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences, Mangalore, Karnataka, India
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Kanmounye US, Zolo Y, Tsopmene MRD, Nguembu S, Ndajiwo AB, Abdifatah K, Sichimba D, Sallah AY, Endalle G, Kaduyu R, Chege KK, Takoukam R, Hasheela T, Bankole NDA, Kabulo KDM, Tétinou F, Nitcheu IA, Ibe CS, Nyalundja AD, Djiofack D, Takoutsing BD, Ghomsi NC. Understanding the motivations, needs, and challenges faced by aspiring neurosurgeons in Africa: an E-survey. Br J Neurosurg 2020; 36:38-43. [PMID: 33349070 DOI: 10.1080/02688697.2020.1862053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Three million African patients need a neurosurgical consultation every year, but there are not enough neurosurgeons to meet this need. Efforts have been made to increase the neurosurgical capacity through the creation of training programs in Africa. Although these programs have been successful, there is still a long way to go. Aspiring African neurosurgeons (AANs) will become neurosurgeons in the future if they are given the resources and opportunities. The authors set out to understand the perceptions, needs, and difficulties faced by AANs. METHODS An e-survey containing 45 questions was created using Google Forms and distributed via social media. The survey was anonymous, and it was distributed from June 2, 2020, to June 16, 2020. Summary descriptive statistics and the Chi-Square test were calculated. The p-value was considered to be significant below .05. RESULTS A total of 221 AANs aged 23.5 ± 3.3 years and from 22 African countries responded to the survey. Most were male (66.1%) and medical students (84.6%). Few had assisted a neurosurgical intervention in-person (24.9%), had a mentor (29.0%) or attended a journal club (10.3%). A small proportion was unwilling to train in their home country (19.5%) or a neighboring country (16.3%). The top three reasons for choosing neurosurgery were prestige, advice from a family member, and projected income. Also, respondents felt neurosurgery was expensive. CONCLUSION AANs are passionate about neurosurgery but lack the information, guidance, or opportunities to fulfil their wish.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrick Sidney Kanmounye
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Department, Faculty of Medicine, Bel Campus University of Technology, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Yvan Zolo
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Marvin Richie Dongmo Tsopmene
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Department, Felix Houphouet Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Stéphane Nguembu
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Faculty of Medicine, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Université des Montagnes, Bangangté, Cameroon
| | - Aliyu Baba Ndajiwo
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Surgery Department, General Hospital Minna, Minna, Nigeria
| | - Khalif Abdifatah
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Department, Aga Khan University Hospital, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Dawin Sichimba
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,School of Medicine, Copperbelt University, Kitwe, Zambia
| | - Aminata Yandeh Sallah
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Unity, Department of Surgery, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Geneviève Endalle
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Robert Kaduyu
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Kennedy Kimani Chege
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgery, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Régis Takoukam
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Department, Felix Houphouet Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Toivo Hasheela
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Unity, Department of Surgery, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Nourou Dine Adeniran Bankole
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Unit, Department of Surgical and Medico-surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Pharmacy of Rabat, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Kantenga Dieu Merci Kabulo
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Unity, Department of Surgery, University of Zimbabwe, Harare, Zimbabwe
| | - Francklin Tétinou
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Faculty of Medicine, Higher Institute of Health Sciences, Université des Montagnes, Bangangté, Cameroon
| | - Igor Ayiodjeu Nitcheu
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Department, Felix Houphouet Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
| | - Chidiebere Sunday Ibe
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Chemistry Department, University of Uyo City, Uyo, , Nigeria
| | - Arsène Daniel Nyalundja
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University of Bukavu, Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo
| | - Dylan Djiofack
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Faculty of Medicine, Higher Institute of Medical Technology, Nkolondom, Cameroon
| | - Berjo Dongmo Takoutsing
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Buea, Buea, Cameroon
| | - Nathalie Christelle Ghomsi
- Research Department, Association of Future African Neurosurgeons, Yaounde, Cameroon.,Neurosurgery Department, Felix Houphouet Boigny University, Abidjan, Côte d'Ivoire
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20
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Thum DiCesare JA, Segar DJ, Donoho D, Radwanski R, Zada G, Yang I. Democratizing Access to Neurosurgical Medical Education: National Efforts in a Medical Student Training Camp During Coronavirus Disease 2019. World Neurosurg 2020; 144:e237-e243. [PMID: 32827739 PMCID: PMC7438385 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.08.100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2020] [Revised: 08/12/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND National medical student surveys amidst the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)-driven subinternship cancellations have demonstrated the need for supplemental, standardized subspecialty medical education, mentorship, and career planning nationally. We have presented the first live, cross-institutional virtual medical student subspecialty training camp to deliver standardized neurosurgical educational content to medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and its results on medical student anxiety and perceptions of neurosurgery. METHODS The online training camp used a video conferencing platform that was open to all medical students. A post-training camp survey was administered. RESULTS A total of 305 medical students registered for the event from 107 unique U.S. medical schools. Of the 305 medical students, 108 reported intending to apply to neurosurgery residency in 2021. The top medical student objectives for the training camp were program networking and mentorship. Of the 305 participants, 121 (39.7%) completed the post-training survey. Of the respondents, 65.0% reported improved neurosurgical knowledge, 79.8% reported decreased anxiety about subinternships and interviews, 82.5% reported increased enthusiasm about neurosurgery, and 100% desired a future annual virtual training camp because of the increased accessibility and decreased cost. This was especially important for students at institutions without home subspecialty programs and those with financial burdens. CONCLUSIONS COVID-19-driven innovations in medical education have accelerated changes that may have long been necessary. This virtual structure improved resource usage and scalability compared with in-person training, maintained social distancing, and democratized access to standardized, specialized content not often available through traditional medical curricula. Even as a supplement to in-person events, the virtual training camp model could be implemented by national medical societies, which might significantly increase medical students' preparedness for, and education in, neurosurgery and other subspecialties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmine A Thum DiCesare
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA.
| | - David J Segar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Daniel Donoho
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Ryan Radwanski
- Department of Neurosurgery, New York Presbyterian, Cornell, New York, New York, USA
| | - Gabriel Zada
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
| | - Isaac Yang
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of California, Los Angeles, David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA
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21
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Lozada-Martínez I, Bolaño-Romero M, Moscote-Salazar L, Torres-Llinas D. Letter to the Editor: 'Medical Education in Times of COVID-19: What's New in Neurosurgery?'. World Neurosurg 2020; 143:603. [PMID: 33167132 PMCID: PMC10016370 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.07.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/29/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ivan Lozada-Martínez
- Medical-Surgical Research Center, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
| | - María Bolaño-Romero
- Medical-Surgical Research Center, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
| | - Luis Moscote-Salazar
- Neurosurgeon-Critical Care, Biomedical Research Center, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia.
| | - Daniela Torres-Llinas
- Medical-Surgical Research Center, University of Cartagena, Cartagena de Indias, Colombia
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22
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Lee JE, Mohanty A, Albuquerque FC, Couldwell WT, Levy EI, Benzel EC, Wakhloo AK, Hirsch JA, Fiorella D, Fargen KM, Burkhardt JK, Srinivasan VM, Johnson J, Mokin M, Kan P. Trends in academic productivity in the COVID-19 era: analysis of neurosurgical, stroke neurology, and neurointerventional literature. J Neurointerv Surg 2020; 12:1049-1052. [PMID: 32998982 PMCID: PMC7528313 DOI: 10.1136/neurintsurg-2020-016710] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Revised: 09/05/2020] [Accepted: 09/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Academic physicians aim to provide clinical and surgical care to their patients while actively contributing to a growing body of scientific literature. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has resulted in procedural-based specialties across the United States witnessing a sharp decline in their clinical volume and surgical cases. OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgical, stroke neurology, and neurointerventional academic productivity. METHODS The study compared the neurosurgical, stroke neurology, and neurointerventional academic output during the pandemic lockdown with the same time period in previous years. Editors from a sample of neurosurgical, stroke neurology, and neurointerventional journals provided the total number of original manuscript submissions, broken down by months, from the year 2016 to 2020. Manuscript submission was used as a surrogate metric for academic productivity. RESULTS 8 journals were represented. The aggregated data from all eight journals as a whole showed that a combined average increase of 42.3% was observed on original submissions for 2020. As the average yearly percent increase using the 2016-2019 data for each journal exhibited a combined average increase of 11.2%, the rise in the yearly increase for 2020 in comparison was nearly fourfold. For the same journals in the same time period, the average percent of COVID-19 related publications from January to June of 2020 was 6.87%. CONCLUSION There was a momentous increase in the number of original submissions for the year 2020, and its effects were uniformly experienced across all of our represented journals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jae Eun Lee
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Alina Mohanty
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Felipe C Albuquerque
- Department of Neurosurgery, Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona, USA
| | | | - Elad I Levy
- Neurosurgery, Jacobs School of Medicine University at Buffalo, Buffalo, New York, USA
- Neurosurgery, Gates Vascular Institute at Kaleida Health, Buffalo, New York, USA
| | - Edward C Benzel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Ajay K Wakhloo
- Neurointerventional Radiology, Lahey Hospital and Medical Center, Burlington, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Joshua A Hirsch
- NeuroEndovascular Program, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - David Fiorella
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Department of Radiology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Kyle M Fargen
- Neurological Surgery and Radiology, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, North Carolina, USA
| | - Jan-Karl Burkhardt
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
- Department of Neurosurgery, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Texas, USA
| | | | - Jeremiah Johnson
- Department of Neurosurgery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Maxim Mokin
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Peter Kan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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23
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Drexler R, Hambrecht JM, Oldhafer KJ. Involvement of Medical Students During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Survey Study. Cureus 2020; 12:e10147. [PMID: 33014645 PMCID: PMC7526758 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.10147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affects the education of medical students around the world and countries have had differing responses in dealing with this dynamic situation. The role of medical students in fighting this pandemic is controversial and it is yet to be elucidated how they can best be of service. The aim of this study is to evaluate the working fields of volunteering students and the impact of the pandemic on final year students from a student's perspective. METHODS An anonymous online survey was conducted amongst 219 medical students from Hamburg (Germany), using an institutional online data collection program. RESULTS A total of 137 questionnaires (63.5%) were completed. Of these, 97 participants were students from academic year three to five (70.8%) and 40 students were in the final year of medical school (29.2%). Of the 97 students from academic year three to five, 68 students (70.1%) signed up for voluntary duties during the pandemic. Interestingly, only 25.0% of the students were called for voluntary work in hospitals or health authorities. Final year students had already been working in hospitals since before the outbreak, with 35.0% of them assisting doctors in the treatment of COVID-19 positive patients during their placements. Using a 5-Point Likert Scale, the students who volunteered self-assessed their work as more useful and received more gratitude than final year students (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS The majority of medical students are willing to make a significant contribution in the response to COVID-19 and do not wish to be overlooked. Furthermore, the current pandemic offers novel educational opportunities for medical students.
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24
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Ozoner B, Gungor A, Hasanov T, Toktas ZO, Kilic T. Neurosurgical Practice During Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic. World Neurosurg 2020; 140:198-207. [PMID: 32474101 PMCID: PMC7255756 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.05.195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2020] [Revised: 05/19/2020] [Accepted: 05/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is a highly contagious life-threatening condition with unprecedented impacts for worldwide societies and health care systems. Since the first detection in China, it has spread rapidly worldwide. The increased burden has substantially affected neurosurgical practice and intensive modifications have been required in surgical scheduling, inpatient and outpatient clinics, management of emergency cases, and even in academic activities. In some systems, nonoverlapping teams have been created to minimize transmission among health care workers. In cases of a massive burden, neurosurgeons may need to be reassigned to COVID-19 wards, or teams from other regions may need to be sent to severely affected areas. Recommendations are as following. In outpatient practice, if possible, appointments should be undertaken via telemedicine. All staff assigned to the non-COVID treatment unit should be clothed in level 1 personal protective equipment. If possible, postponement is recommended for operations that do not require urgent or emergent intervention. All patients indicated for surgery must receive COVID-19 screening, including a nasopharyngeal swab and thorax computed tomography. Level 2 protection measures are appropriate during COVID-19-negative patients' operations. Operations of COVID-19-positive patients and emergency operations, in which screening cannot be obtained, should be performed after level 3 protective measures. During surgery, the use of high-speed drills and electrocautery should be reduced to minimize aerosol production. Screening is crucial in all patients because the surgical outcome is highly mortal in patients with COVID-19. All educational and academic conferences can be undertaken as virtual webinars.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baris Ozoner
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey.
| | - Abuzer Gungor
- Department of Neurosurgery, Umraniye Research and Education Hospital, University of Medical Sciences, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Teyyup Hasanov
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Zafer Orkun Toktas
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
| | - Turker Kilic
- Department of Neurosurgery, School of Medicine, Bahcesehir University, Istanbul, Turkey
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25
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Zaed I. COVID-19 consequences on medical students interested in neurosurgery: an Italian perspective. Br J Neurosurg 2020; 36:119-120. [PMID: 32628052 DOI: 10.1080/02688697.2020.1777260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ismail Zaed
- Department of Neurosurgery, Humanitas Clinical and Research Center - IRCCS, Rozzano, MI, Italy.,Humanitas University, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Pieve Emanuele (Milano), Italy
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Kemp WJ, Recinos PF, Benzel EC, Schlenk RP. Silver Lining During COVID-19: Transformation in Neurosurgery Education. World Neurosurg 2020; 139:632-633. [PMID: 32624393 PMCID: PMC7332259 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.05.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- William J Kemp
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Pablo F Recinos
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Edward C Benzel
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Richard P Schlenk
- Department of Neurosurgery, Cleveland Clinic Foundation, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
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Guadix SW, Winston GM, Chae JK, Haghdel A, Chen J, Younus I, Radwanski R, Greenfield JP, Pannullo SC. Medical Student Concerns Relating to Neurosurgery Education During COVID-19. World Neurosurg 2020; 139:e836-e847. [PMID: 32426066 PMCID: PMC7229732 DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.05.090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 76] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2020] [Revised: 05/09/2020] [Accepted: 05/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has created significant obstacles within medical education. For medical students interested in pursuing neurosurgery as a specialty, the educational policies surrounding COVID-19 have resulted in unique challenges. The present study used a nationwide survey to identify the concerns of medical students interested in pursuing neurosurgery during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods Students who had previously registered for medical student neurosurgery training camps were sent an online Qualtrics survey requesting them to assess how the COVID-19 pandemic was affecting their neurosurgical education. The Pearson χ2 test and post hoc pairwise Fisher exact test were used for analysis of categorical variables, and the 2-tailed paired Student t test was used for continuous variables. Results The survey was distributed to 852 medical students, with 127 analyzed responses. Concerns regarding conferences and networking opportunities (63%), clinical experience (59%), and board examination scores (42%) were most frequently cited. Of the third-year medical students, 76% reported ≥1 cancelled or postponed neurosurgery rotation. On average, students were more likely to take 1 year off from medical school after than before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, measured from 0 to 100 (25.3 ± 36.0 vs. 39.5 ± 37.5; P = 0.004). Virtual mentorship pairing was the highest rated educational intervention suggested by first- and second-year medical students. The third- and fourth-year medical students had cited virtual surgical skills workshops most frequently. Conclusions The results from the present nationwide survey have highlighted the concerns of medical students regarding their neurosurgery education during the COVID-19 pandemic. With these findings, neurosurgery organizations can consider targeted plans for students of each year to continue their education and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio W Guadix
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Graham M Winston
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - John K Chae
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Arsalan Haghdel
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Justin Chen
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Iyan Younus
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Ryan Radwanski
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jeffrey P Greenfield
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA
| | - Susan C Pannullo
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
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