key: cord-0877045-cmgl7rkn
authors: Lymperopoulos, Nikolaos; Dunne, Jonathan; Morgan, Mary; Mackey, Simon; Roblin, Paul; Ramsey, Kelvin; Nanidis, Theodore
title: Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Microsurgery Fellowships
date: 2020-09-20
journal: J Plast Reconstr Aesthet Surg
DOI: 10.1016/j.bjps.2020.08.139
sha: a70f0fa3ab23d58e3555e13982e2ef26c5c202bc
doc_id: 877045
cord_uid: cmgl7rkn

nan

surgical societies was to delay reconstructive procedures 3 . As we enter a long recovery phase in June 2020, the British Association of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeons (BAPRAS) published guidance on how to safely resume breast reconstruction services 4 . One of the main highlighted issues, has been the impact on training after this long period of surgical inactivity. This will potentially be aggravated by the policy of strict consultant delivered services during the recovery period. The aim of this study was to quantify the impact of the pandemic on microsurgery fellowships and potentially offer advice on mitigating some of its adverse effects.

We developed a questionnaire that was distributed amongst 5 plastic surgery units in This reflects the different impacts the pandemic has had in the individual hospitals, which needs to be evaluated prior to elective procedures recommencing. The majority of the consultants felt that the fellows were unlikely to achieve their individual goals in microsurgery and programme extensions had been offered. A pleasant surprise during this period of crisis, was the upgrade of teaching reported in all units. As found in the recent literature, lockdown gave rise to virtual teaching which provided an accessible source of highly effective learning 5 . Finally, when asked how the negative impact on training could be mitigated, the answer was a combination of programme extensions and more structured webinar teaching opportunities.

In conclusion, the impact of COVID-19 pandemic has been significant in microsurgical training. This study highlights the extent of the problem but demonstrates that supervising consultants are aware of this new reality. As microsurgery services resume globally, programme extensions and increased teaching, seem as the best way to compensate for the lost training opportunities.

COVID-19 The Great Disruptor

Microsurgical reconstruction in the time of

Breast reconstruction and the COVID-19 pandemic: A viewpoint

COVID-19 lockdown learning: The uprising of virtual teaching

Ethical Approval: N/A