Effect of COVID-19 on Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Education and Training

Abstract

Importance The COVID-19 pandemic has caused a noticeable disruption in national medical and surgical care, including medical training. Objectives We designed a survey to examine the educational effect of the pandemic on female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS) training and secondarily to identify areas for innovation and opportunity in FPMRS fellowship training. Study Design We used an online survey, approved by the American Urogynecologic Society Scientific Committee and distributed it to FPMRS fellows with responses obtained and stored in REDCap. Demographic data, educational and surgical experiences, the implications of the changes, and data regarding working from home were collected. Results The survey was completed by 88 fellows, with 92% of respondents being obstetrics and gynecology- based. All 10 geographic regions had at least one response. Six regions had a 50% or greater redeployment rate. Only 16% of respondents were not redeployed or on-call to be redeployed. Eighty-five percent of the ob/gyn fellow redeployments were within their home department. There was no relationship between training region and redeployment. Only 31.7% of the respondents continued to perform any FPMRS surgery. Approximately 35% of the fellows desired the opportunity for surgical simulation training because surgical cases were reduced. No relationship was seen between either redeployment status and needs (P = 0.087–0.893) or difficulties (P = 0.092–0.864) nor training location and needs (P = 0.376–0.935) or difficulties (P = 0.110–0.921). Conclusions There was a high rate of redeployment among fellows; however, this was not associated with their reported needs and difficulties. The FPMRS-related surgical experience was affected during this time, and the fellows desired increased surgical simulation training.