Mentorship Resuscitation During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Medical Student Mentorship in the COVID-19 Era

Background

The Covid-19 pandemic led to a reduction of in-person, guided mentorship due to social distancing and an emphasis on virtual meetings. The effect of these changes on medical students' experiences and specialty choice has yet to be studied in a large-scale manner.

Objective

To determine the perspective of third- and fourth-year medical students regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mentorship.

Design

The authors distributed a modified Likert scale questionnaire (score: 1-10) to assess responses.

Participants

Third- and fourth-year medical students at two large US allopathic medical schools.

Main Measures

Responses to each survey item were analyzed to characterize the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mentorship relationships in medical school. A score of 1-5 was considered "disagree" and a score of 6-10 was considered "agree."

Key Results

A total of 144 responses were collected with a response rate of 16.2%. Overall, 80.6% (n = 116) of respondents agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has had a negative impact on their medical school experience. Nearly half (41.0%, n = 59) expressed concern over the lack of mentorship opportunities, and 66.0% (n = 95) reported that the pandemic has made it more difficult to form or maintain connections with their mentors. Importantly, 43.6% (n = 61) of respondents reported that having close mentoring relationships reduced the impact of the pandemic on their medical training. While many respondents (79.9%, n = 114) did not change career plans due to the pandemic, most students are concerned about evaluating prospective residency programs (88.9%, n = 128). Notably, M3s have much lower confidence than M4s in their ability to choose a specialty (5.9 vs. 8.2, p = 6.43e - 08).

Conclusions

This investigation illustrates the concerns that medical students have regarding access to mentorship opportunities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We hope that these findings encourage medical schools to evaluate and expand their current mentorship programs.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40670-023-01838-4.

Students at a crossroad: A cross-sectional survey gauging the impact of COVID-19 on medical and biomedical graduates in the United States and Sweden

Graduate programs in medicine and biomedical sciences have been severely impacted by the SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19 pandemic over the last 2 years. Following 2 years since beginning of the pandemic, data on student support, educational and academic performance as well as sentiment on changes to educational programs are starting to emerge. We performed and compared results of two cross-sectional surveys of Swedish and U.S.-based medical and biomedical graduate students on how the pandemic has affected their studies, research productivity and career trajectory. Students were also asked to assess support provided by the university and supervisors. The surveys also captured student demographics and a range of other factors, such as pressures brought on by caretaking and financial responsibilities. We analyzed answers from 264 and 106 students attending graduate programs in universities in Sweden and the United States, respectively. U.S.-based students faced more severe restrictions on their research program compared to students in Sweden, reporting more delays in productivity, scientific output and graduation, and increased worries about their career trajectory. Swedish students had more caretaking responsibilities, although these did not cause any delays in graduation. While support by universities and supervisors was comparable between the countries, financial worries and mental health concerns were particularly prominent in the U.S. cohort. Student performance and outlook was hugely dependent on the breadth of the restrictions and the available support. Besides the governmental and university-led approach to counter the pandemic, societal differences also played a role in how well students were handling effects of the pandemic.

The Knowledge Gap: Mentorship in Emergency Medicine Residency

STUDY OBJECTIVE

Studies of mentorship in emergency medicine show that mentored residents are twice as likely to describe their career preparation as excellent as compared to nonmentored peers. There has been significant interest in the mentor-mentee relationship in medicine; however, there is minimal guidance and published literature specific to emergency medicine residents.

METHODS

In this narrative review, we described the emergency medicine mentor-mentee relationship, discussed alternatives to the traditional dyadic model, and highlighted current barriers to effective mentorship. We conducted a structured literature review to identify relevant published articles regarding the mentoring of emergency medicine residents. Additional studies from general mentoring literature were included based on relevancy.

RESULTS

We identified 39 studies in emergency medicine literature based on our search criteria. Additional studies from general medicine literature were included based on relevancy to this review. Based on the limited available literature, we recommend maximizing the resident mentoring relationship by developing formal mentoring programs, supporting the advancement of women and underrepresented minority mentors, and moving toward team mentoring, including peer, near-peer, and collaborative mentorship. The development of a mentoring network is a logical strategy for residents to work with a diverse group of individuals to maximize benefits in multiple areas.

CONCLUSION

Alternative approaches to the traditional and hierarchal dyadic mentoring style (eg, team mentoring) are effective methods that residencies may promote to increase effective mentoring. Future efforts in mentoring emergency medicine residents emphasize these strategies, which are increasingly beneficial given the constraints and use of technology highlighted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Opportunities and Challenges in Medical Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The abrupt onset of the pandemic in early 2020 presented a clear challenge to medical and resident education across the nation. Numerous changes were made to allow educational efforts to continue, including the use of virtual formats. The benefits and challenges to virtual learning, as well as the difficulty in transitioning certain skills, such as thorough physical examination and procedural skills, are discussed. Future opportunities exist for hybrid virtual learning and conferences and the development of formal telehealth curricula. The effect of these changes on professional identity formation must be intentionally addressed and role model and mentor relationships fostered both virtually and in person. Given the availability of both vaccines and personal protective equipment, appropriately protected students and trainees should be afforded every opportunity to pursue hands-on medical learning in preparation for their future careers. [Pediatr Ann. 2022;51(8):e319-e323.].

The effect of COVID-19 on medical students' education and wellbeing: a cross-sectional survey

BACKGROUND

Canadian medical school curriculums have undergone major restructuring during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study's goal was to assess the perceived impact of COVID-19 on medical students' education and wellbeing.

METHODS

An online survey was distributed to Canadian medical students. Descriptive analyses and ANOVAs were used to assess changes in mental health, health habits and quality of education during the pandemic.

RESULTS

248 medical students from 13 schools across Canada participated in this study. 74% reported a reduction in the quality of their education since COVID-19. 58% of students found online to be inferior to in-person teaching. 65% of students had more time for wellness and leisure activities, about half of the cohort felt more depressed (48%) and lonelier (52%). Student's overall health habits worsened after the start of the pandemic (F=37.4, p < 0.001). Alcohol drinking, time spent seated, and screen time also increased since the pandemic (p < 0.001). During the pandemic, students with a prior history of depression or anxiety expressed increased depressive symptoms (66% vs. 42%, p =0.003), increased anxiety (69% vs. 41%, p < 0001), worse sleep quality (34% vs. 18%, p = 0.031), and poorer quality of life (55% vs. 65%, p = 0.024) versus those with no prior history.

CONCLUSION

Canadian medical student's education and wellbeing has been negatively impacted during the pandemic.