The COVID-19 pandemic has negatively affected radiology residencies, according to a study published June 13 in Academic Radiology.
This negative effect has resulted in part from efforts to curb the spread of the virus through social distancing and shelter-at-home policies, wrote a team led by Dr. Jessica Robbins of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine in Madison.
"[These policies] have unintended consequences upon clinical and educational missions and mental well-being of radiology departments," the team wrote.
The study consisted of a 22-question survey emailed to 312 members of the Association of Program Directors in Radiology (APDR) regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on radiology residencies. The team received 107 responses.
The survey found the following regarding the impact of COVID-19 on radiology residency programs:
- Educational mission impact: 70.1% of survey participants reported moderate/marked negative impact and 2.8% reported that educational activities have stopped.
- Impact on resident morale: 44.8% described moderate/marked negative effect. Resident morale was worse in programs that redeployed residents across the hospital, with 57.1% reporting moderate/marked decrease.
- Resident access to mental health resources: 88.8% of survey respondents reported that residents had adequate access during the acute phase of the pandemic.
- Program director morale: 61% of survey participants reported either mild or marked decreased morale.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has markedly impacted the perceived well-being and educational missions of radiology residency programs across the United States," the group concluded.
