LAUSR

ABSTRACT Background The COVID-19 pandemic has had a tremendous impact on the healthcare system. Due to restrictions in elective surgery and social distancing guidelines, the training curriculum for neurosurgical trainees is rapidly evolving. This evolution may have significant long-term effects on the training of neurosurgery residents. Objective To assess the impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgical training programs and residents. Methods A survey consisting of thirty-one questions assessing changes to resident clinical and educational workload and their sentiment on how these changes may affect their careers was distributed electronically to neurosurgery residents in the United States and Canada. Results The survey respondents were spread over 29 states and Canada and were relatively evenly spread across all levels of residency. Nearly 82% reported that the inpatient and outpatient volumes were either greatly (44.0%) or moderately (37.8%) reduced. Greater than 91% reported that their work responsibilities or access to the hospital had been reduced with a significant reduction in work hours and a significant increase in resident didactics (p <.001). Senior residents expressed concern about their educational experience as well as their future career prospects as a result of the pandemic. Conclusion Universally, residents have experienced reduced work hours and reduction in their operative case volumes. Programs have adapted by increasing didactic time and using electronic platforms. It is quite possible that this remarkable time period will prompt a critical re-appraisal of the pre-COVID-19 adequacy of educational content in our training programs, and that enhanced educational efforts driven by this pandemic may be lasting.