key: cord-0972656-up74p9v1 authors: Conroy, Michelle L.; Garcia-Pittman, Erica C.; Ali, Hana; Lehmann, Susan W.; Yarns, Brandon C. title: The COVID-19 AAGP Online Trainee Curriculum: Development and Method of Initial Evaluation date: 2020-06-13 journal: Am J Geriatr Psychiatry DOI: 10.1016/j.jagp.2020.06.003 sha: 78d58ddf59a1b8bc79f172cbc3bf295bfc92045c doc_id: 972656 cord_uid: up74p9v1 OBJECTIVES: : One effect of the COVID-19 pandemic is the disruption of in-person clinical experiences within geriatric psychiatry residency education. Online resources for trainees are needed to fill resultant gaps. METHODS: : The AAGP Teaching & Training Committee leadership collaborated with geriatric psychiatry experts to develop a web-based geriatric psychiatry curriculum for psychiatry residents and other learners. In addition, we planned to obtain initial self-report outcomes of the curricular modules. RESULTS: : The COVID-19 AAGP Online Trainee Curriculum (aagponline.org/covidcurriculum) consists of approximately 30 video-recorded lectures provided by AAGP member experts. A demographic survey and pre-post survey attached to each module allow us to obtain learner characteristics and feedback on each module. CONCLUSIONS: : The Curriculum has the potential to supplement psychiatry residency education during the pandemic and potentially raise the profile of AAGP, with the goal of inspiring interest within geriatric psychiatry. Results of the initial self-report evaluation should be available in 1 year. The COVID-19 pandemic disproportionately impacts older adults 1 and may adversely impact their mental health and healthcare. 2 The editors of the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry have called for new knowledge on the relationship between COVID-19, mental health, and aging. 2 The compromise of the geriatric psychiatry training experience is one of the innumerable unforeseen effects of the COVID-19 pandemic where new knowledge is needed. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requires all general psychiatry residents complete four weeks caring for elderly populations. 3 This experience is often the only exposure to geriatric psychiatry residents receive in their training. In response to COVID-19, in-person clinical experiences have been streamlined to prevent unnecessary exposure to the virus for our vulnerable older adults. And, in many cases, didactic curricula are significantly truncated due to reassignment of trainees and faculty to perform other hospital care needs. Changes in geriatric psychiatry residency education due to the COVID-19 pandemic may compound the critical shortage of providers with adequate training to care for the nation's rapidly aging population. Prior to the crisis, it was estimated that by the year 2030, 1 in every 5 Americans will be over the age of 65, and in the same year, there will be only one geriatric psychiatrist per 5,682 older adults with a psychiatric disorder. 4, 5 Novel educational programs are needed to supplement COVID-related training deficits in geriatric psychiatry to equip residents with basic knowledge needed to care for older adults, and, potentially, foster interest in pursuing subspecialty training. In response, members of the American Association of Geriatric Psychiatry (AAGP) collaborated to create a comprehensive geriatric psychiatry curriculum consisting of 6 online video modules: The COVID-19 AAGP Online Trainee Curriculum. This paper describes the development of the Curriculum and our plan to obtain initial self-report metrics. The idea to develop an online curriculum for trainees unable to join in-person geriatric Along with providing online module learning, we sought to obtain demographic data and pre-post survey data from trainee participants who access the educational modules. The initial proposal was presented in writing and approved by AAGP Co-Presidents. Human subjects research exemption was obtained from the Yale University Institutional Review Board. Data collection will include the number of unique users of the Curriculum, the number of viewers for each module, viewer demographics, and the perceived benefits of the modules. The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the healthcare system in a myriad of ways. One immediate effect is the disruption of geriatric psychiatry residency. This transition has removed the opportunity for "bedside" learning and, in many cases, didactic learning. The AAGP COVID Curriculum is a module-based geriatric psychiatry didactic learning experience developed to address the educational gap caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Curriculum consists of approximately 30 online video modules, each delivered by an expert in the field. While the Curriculum is primarily intended to supplement psychiatry residency training, the modules may also benefit medical students, physician assistant students, and advanced practice nursing students, many of whom were also removed from clinical learning sites due to COVID-19. Additionally, these modules may be utilized by geriatric psychiatry fellows, general psychiatrists, or others who wish to access more in-depth learning related to psychiatric illness in older adults. The AAGP COVID Curriculum is also a response to the recent call to develop new knowledge about COVID-19, mental health, and aging. 2 Feedback obtained from learners will assist in determining whether an online educational curriculum is viewed positively by trainees during a time when usual clinical training experiences are curtailed. Since we will assess each module separately, the data will allow for Curriculum optimization in the future based on the success of various modules. In addition, the AAGP COVID Curriculum may enhance geriatric psychiatry residency experiences beyond the pandemic. Given worsening shortages in geriatric mental healthcare, new educational tools are one possible way to promote interest in the field. If successful, the AAGP COVID Curriculum could be transitioned to a permanent offering to enhance recruitment for or be combined with AAGP"s other trainee recruitment activities, including the AAGP Scholars Program. 8, 9 Since the Curriculum is accessed through the AAGP website, it may increase traffic to the website, increasing exposure to AAGP as an organization committed to the mental health and well-being of older adults, and to AAGP"s resources for clinicians, educators and researchers. Limitations include lack of objective evaluation of changes in learners" knowledge and skills. In addition, due to the accelerated implementation of this project prior, peer review or standardization of the content was not performed. These areas may provide opportunities for future studies and program improvement based on results of the initial evaluation. One silver lining of this pandemic is the potential expansion of learning opportunities for medical students, psychiatry residents, and physician assistant and advanced practice nursing students who do not have access to adequate geriatric psychiatry education in their home programs. Indeed, other programs, such as the American Psychiatric Association and the National Neuroscience Curriculum Institute, have shifted towards more web-based educational opportunities. The AAGP COVID Curriculum demonstrates the potential for professional collaboration among AAGP experts to rapidly improve access to high-quality educational materials. As such, it has many potential benefits, including the delivery of high-quality content with the potential to expand interest in the field of geriatric psychiatry and prepare the workforce of mental health providers equipped to care for older adults. Author Contributions: Michelle L. Conroy conceived of the project. Michelle L. Conroy, Erica C. Garcia-Pittman, Hana Ali, Susan W. Lehmann, and Brandon C. Yarns each made substantial contributions to the design and implementation of the project, drafting and revising the work for important intellectual content, have approved the final version to be published, and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work and its accuracy and integrity. The authors report no conflicts with any product mentioned or concept discussed in this article. 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