Maximizing Career Advancement During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Recommendations for Postgraduate Training Programs

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Career Development

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic impacted physicians-in-training by reducing time for electives and scholarship.
• Academic medical centers faced fiscal losses, necessitating budget and curriculum revisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To recommend strategies for residency programs to mitigate pandemic-related losses.
• To capitalize on opportunities in virtual education and scholarship for trainee career advancement.

Main Methods:

• Drawing from career development guidelines and literature on positive career outcomes.
• Suggesting leadership roles, curricula, and events for professional growth.
• Recommending structured mentorship, career pathway education, and job application support.

Main Results:

• Implementation of faculty champions, scholarship showcases, virtual journal clubs, and social media networking.
• Leveraging resources for time, funding, academic coaching, and skills training for scholarship projects.
• Focus on professional growth, personal training goals, scholarship production, and future employment.

Conclusions:

• Recommendations support career advancement for residents, early-career faculty, and medical trainees.
• Strategies can be implemented quickly and inexpensively to foster professional development.
• Further outcomes studies are needed to evaluate the impact of these recommendations.