Educational Diamonds in the COVID-19 Rough

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COVID-19 has forced psychiatry training programs across the country to swiftly adapt to the ever-changing landscape of the last year. History tells a clear story of how widespread disasters disproportionately affect marginalized communities and uproot educational conventions. Each surge in infections has brought new demands to Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry services, including the educational programs and training rotations supported by these services. CL psychiatrists have turned to innovation, adaptation, and even trial and error to devise solutions to these challenges. As we look towards a hopeful end to the pandemic and reflect on this year of change to traditional training routines, it is useful to consider which innovations we should keep, what we cannot wait to return to, and what we have learned in the process.

This Education Committee sponsored workshop focuses on the experience of CL educators working in academic medical centers that were heavily affected by COVID-19. Challenges and opportunities inherent in educating and running a clinical service during a crisis will be explored, focusing on didactics, supervision, clinical work, administration and wellness.

Dr. Soeprono will discuss the virtues and failures of remote didactics. A review of the educational research related to the use of technology and its effect on access and participation will be presented. Strategies to engage a Zoomed-out audience, and when live versus virtual didactics should be held in future practice will be discussed.

Dr. Ernst will examine the impact of the pandemic on supervision, rounds and bedside teaching, highlighting strategies for remote “bedside teaching” and the supervision of telehealth clinical encounters. Changes to clinical supervision prompted by the concurrent crisis of systemic racism will also be discussed.

Dr. Meyer Karre will address changes to clinical work and postulate the effects on resident skills and knowledge. This will include changes in workflow, rotation sites, telehealth, communication, impact on team cohesion, and resulting effects to patient care.

Dr. Schwartz will consider the future of administrative work, collaboration, and innovation in the anticipated post-COVID period. Flexible staffing models, telehealth, e-consults, and hybrid models will be compared and contrasted.

Dr. Fipps will reflect on resident wellness. Stress during these times necessitates trainee access to formal guidance on how to prevent and treat burnout. Interventions that target both individual level and systemic interventions will be addressed. The dual crisis of the pandemic and racial reckoning will be put into the context of trainee wellness.

Medical education across the country has made sweeping curricular changes to enhance trainee education. By keeping the gems, throwing aside failed attempts, and reflecting on our trials, we can create a more fair, accessible, and effective CL training experience.