Frontiers in Surgery (Jan 2023)

Restructuring surgical training after COVID-19 pandemic: A nationwide survey on the Italian scenario on behalf of the Italian polyspecialistic young surgeons society (SPIGC)

  • Gaetano Gallo,
  • Eleonora Guaitoli,
  • Fabio Barra,
  • Arcangelo Picciariello,
  • Alessandro Pasculli,
  • Alessandro Coppola,
  • Davide Pertile,
  • Roberto Luca Meniconi,
  • SPIGC Surgical Training Working Group,
  • Federico Berton,
  • Luigi Conti,
  • Giampaolo Formisano,
  • Angelo Iossa,
  • Michele Maruccia,
  • Andrea Mazzari,
  • Luigi Oragano,
  • Francesca Ratti,
  • Matteo Serenari,
  • Alberto Settembrini,
  • Pasquale Sirignano,
  • Domenico Soriero,
  • Carlo Vallicelli,
  • Giuseppe Vizzielli,
  • Ruggero Dimonte,
  • Stefano Cianci,
  • Marco Giovenzana,
  • Geraldo Palmieri,
  • Edoardo Pasqui,
  • Marco Petrillo,
  • Luca Portigliotti,
  • Daniele Sambucci,
  • Giuseppe Sena,
  • Marco Sparavigna,
  • Giordana Bettini,
  • Gianfranco Fanello,
  • Paolo Mendogni,
  • Lorenzo Monteleone,
  • Nicoletta Pia Ardò,
  • Pasquina Tomaiuolo,
  • Giovanni Tomasicchio,
  • Nicola Paradiso,
  • Rigers Dibra,
  • Giuseppe Trigiante,
  • Agnese Dezi,
  • Ludovico Carbone,
  • Sara Negrello,
  • Mattia Di Bartolomeo,
  • Romeo Patini,
  • Alberto Vito Marcuzzo,
  • Alberto Campione,
  • Giovanni Comacchio,
  • Giacomo Murana,
  • Martino Antonio,
  • Mattia Manitto,
  • Giuseppe Galzerano,
  • Carlo Di Marco,
  • Francesco Velluti,
  • Gianmauro Berardi,
  • Andrea Romboli,
  • Federica Perelli,
  • Jacopo Weindelmejer,
  • Domenico Tamburrino,
  • Alessandro Calarco,
  • Luigi Losco,
  • Eleonora Nacchiero,
  • Rossella Elia,
  • Federico Lo Torto,
  • Giovanni Vicenti,
  • Vincenzo Pappalardo,
  • Dafne Pisani,
  • Graziano Palmisano,
  • Debora Brascia,
  • Luigi Troisi,
  • Federica Renzi,
  • Fabio Melandro,
  • Silvia Pecere,
  • Carlo Gazia,
  • Gregorio Di Franco,
  • Gaetano Romano,
  • Alberto Bolletta,
  • Emanuele Botteri,
  • Giovanna Di Meo,
  • Sonia Chiappetta,
  • Ilaria Sgaramella,
  • Francesco Pennestri,
  • Antonella Girardi,
  • Donatella Mariniello,
  • Marco Marcasciano,
  • Michele Telegrafo,
  • Simona Fracomeni,
  • Francesca De Paoli

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2022.1115653
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 9

Abstract

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IntroductionThe COVID-19 pandemic has led to the disruption of surgical training. Lack of communication, guidelines for managing clinical activity as well as concerns for safety in the workplace appeared to be relevant issues. This study aims to investigate how surgical training has been reorganized in Italy, almost 2 years after the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic.Materials and methodsA 16-item-electronic anonymous questionnaire was designed through SurveyMonkey© web application. This survey was composed of different sections concerning demographic characteristics and impacts of the second COVID-19 pandemic wave on surgical and research/didactic activities. Changes applied in the training programme and activities carried out were also investigated. The survey was carried out in the period between June and October 2021.ResultsFour hundred and thirty responses were collected, and 399 were considered eligible to be included in the study analysis. Three hundred and thirty-five respondents continued working in Surgical Units, with a significant reduction (less than one surgical session per week) of surgical sessions in 49.6% of them. With concern to didactic and research activities, 140 residents maintained their usual activity, while 116 reported a reduction. A sub-group analysis on resident moved to COVID-19 departments showed a reduction of research activities in 35% of them. During the period considered in this survey, the surgical training program was not substantially modified for most of participants (74.6%).ConclusionOur survey demonstrated that surgical residency programs haven't improved 2 years after the beginning of the pandemic. Further improvements are needed to guarantee completeness of surgical training, even in emergency conditions.

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