COVID’s impact on Education
Although the focus is on the patients and the community at large to
treat and prevent the spread of the COVID19 disease, it has undoubtedly
rattled the educational and training program of the residents especially
the surgical specialty. The residents have a stipulated training time
limit before they appear for their certification exams. To ensure that
this unprecedented time does not weight a negative effect on the minds
of junior surgeons and residents, the Indian Association of
Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons began organising a non-stop series of
educational webinars for the educational, pedagogical & conceptual
benefit of residents. The program is an on-going process, and has
benefited the entire fraternity of cardiothoracic surgeons across the
ranks, from professors, senior consultants to trainee-fellows, aside
residents. To befit the experience, this educational series was named
‘Masterclass’ under the ambit of the Resident Academic Forum of the
Indian Association of Cardiovascular-Thoracic Surgeons. This web-series
has also benefited numerous other specialists which include
cardiologists, radiologists, anaesthesiologists, critical-care, and
paramedical colleagues from nursing, perfusion, anaesthesia technicians
& biomedical engineers. To ensure that the quality of education and
concepts meted out is maintained to the highest standard, faculty who
excel in their subspecialties (documented by peer respect, publications,
experience & interest for teaching) were invited to take part in the
program. The program has been well-received by professions across the
globe with 23 countries being part of the attendees. Three series on
Lung & Heart-Lung Transplantation, Minimally Invasive Cardiac Surgery
& Boot camp in cardiac Anatomy have been part of this expedition.
During the first two months of lockdown (3rd March 2020 and 31st May
2020), a total of 154 webinars were conducted (Adult-Cardiac Surgery –
50, Congenital Heart Surgery 31, Thoracic Surgery - 44
Multispecialty & Allied sciences - 29).