Online Assessment for Pathology Residents during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Report of an Experience

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

The world is facing COVID-19 pandemic, and medical education system and consequently the evaluation of students at different levels have been overshadowed. Residency students are among those affected. In the present study, we aim to share our experiences regarding holding exams for pathology residents before and during the pandemic.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study was carried out in Tehran University of Medical Sciences. The online exam, which consisted of 30 multiple-choice questions, was designed and held in April 2020 to evaluate pathology residents. To assess the quality of the exam, indices such as the number of questions, highest and lowest scores, the average score, the standard deviation, the variance, Cronbach's alpha reliability coefficient, standard error of measurement, discrimination index, difficulty index, number/percentage of questions on three difficulty levels of easy, normal, hard were reviewed and analyzed.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The average score of the participants in the January exam which was held in the university's exam center was 16.23 (±5.03), while the average score in the online exam which was held after the onset of the pandemic was 20.86 (±5.18). The average discrimination indices in the first and second exams were 0.36 and 0.38, respectively, and the average difficulty indices in the first and second exams were 0.54 and 0.70, respectively. We found the administration of this online examination would be a positive experience. By sharing it, we hope to pave the way for similar ventures in the other departments.

Why Do Emergency Medicine Residents Experience Burn Out? A qualitative study

Objective: Emergency medicine residents are a high-risk group for burnout syndrome. This was a qualitative study with content analysis on emergency medical residents with 2 aims: evaluating the incidence of occupational burnout syndrome and identifying the points of view and attitudes of emergency medical residents about factors related to occupational burnout syndrome. Method: For this study, 2 sessions of focus group discussions were set up at Imam Khomeini hospital affiliated to Tehran University of Medical Sciences. Each session took 90 minutes, and 20 emergency medicine residents in their first or second year of emergency medicine residency participated in the sessions. Data were coded by MAXQDA10 software. Results: Data were categorized in 4 themes as follow: (1) the characteristics of emergency medicine; (2) ambiguity in residents' duties; (3) educational planning; and (4) careers. Data on the proposed solutions by residents were analyzed and coded in 3 groups including (1) changes in personal life; (2) arrangement in shifts; and (3) educational issues. Conclusion: According to findings of this qualitative study, most of emergency medicine residents have experienced exhaustion sometime during the course of their residency. Psychological supports may help the residents to cope with their career difficulties and probable burn out.