Lessons Learnt from the COVID-19 Pandemic: Starting Residency in a Foster Institution

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Public Health
• Infectious Disease Epidemiology

Background:

• Singapore's Ministry of Health elevated the Disease Outbreak Response System Condition (DORSCON) to Orange in February 2020 due to COVID-19.
• This led to movement restrictions for healthcare workers, preventing residents from returning to their Sponsoring Institutions (SIs) for July 2020 training.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the administrative and emotional challenges faced by medical residents due to COVID-19-related movement restrictions.
• To identify lessons learned for managing medical residency training during public health emergencies.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative analysis of challenges encountered by residents.
• Evaluation of institutional support and inter-institutional communication strategies.

Main Results:

• Residents experienced difficulties meeting training requirements (assessment, postings) and lacked emotional support in unfamiliar settings.
• Foster and parent institutions provided crucial support, and leadership communication mitigated challenges.

Conclusions:

• Effective collaboration between parent and foster institutions is vital for balancing training needs with pandemic demands.
• A common online platform for assessments and shared teaching materials across institutions are recommended.
• Close communication and robust support systems are essential for resident well-being during health crises.