IMPACT OF COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON RESIDENCY TRAINING FOR FAMILY MEDICINE ACADEMY TRAINEES, EASTERN PROVINCE, KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA

Objectives: The family medicine residency program in the eastern province of Saudi Arabia has tried to give trainees the utmost support for coping with the COVID-19 pandemic; however, due to a national need for first responders and the high risk of exposure, training methods and working hours have been drastically changed. This study aimed to assess the impact of those changes.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among residents at the Family Medicine Academy in the E1 Health Cluster in Eastern Province (FMA-EP). All family medicine residents were invited to participate. A self-administered questionnaire was sent out on online platforms. The survey comprised 30 items that measured the impact of the pandemic on residency training. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS version 21.

Results: A total of 126 residents were recruited, 49 (38.9%) were junior residents, and 77 (61.1%) were senior residents. Overall satisfaction with virtual training methods was 68.3%. Approximately 72.2% of trainees did not receive on-site training for the correct use of personal protective equipment (PPE) (p=0.022). Positive impacts were noted for academic requirements completion and submission (p<0.001) and mentorship (p=0.019).

Conclusion: The impact of COVID-19 among FMA-EP trainees was evident in this study. However, the trainees were satisfied with virtual training methods. A lag in education and learning is predictable during any pandemic; therefore, embracing smart learning methods is crucial.

Keywords: Resident, Impact of COVID-19, family medicine academy, residency training