COVID-19 Impact on Electives and Clerkships

[ellorie]

We are business as usual here aside from the self quarantine if you have travelled and the cancellation of work related trips. 
 

Still radio silence from the Royal College...

[rmorelan]

1 hour ago, ellorie said:

We are business as usual here aside from the self quarantine if you have travelled and the cancellation of work related trips. 
 

Still radio silence from the Royal College...

I don't think they are going to be in a big hurry to do anything - a relatively small number of people are affected (well relative to the sort of large institutions making polices right now) - they can hold back and wait hoping things will be a none issue. 

[medigeek]

2 hours ago, rmorelan said:

at my university in the US basically everything is shut down. In theory I cannot even return to canada and then go back to the US without running into issues. 

It is all up in the air so we will just have to see how it plays out. 

The university policy is not allowing travel back to Canada? Or do you suspect border issues (no evidence there should be any?)

[ChemPetE]

A lot of companies including US universities have flat out suspended non-US travel. Canadian universities have been slower to react on that front.

[rmorelan]

6 hours ago, medigeek said:

The university policy is not allowing travel back to Canada? Or do you suspect border issues (no evidence there should be any?)

 

48 minutes ago, ChemPetE said:

A lot of companies including US universities have flat out suspended non-US travel. Canadian universities have been slower to react on that front.

yup - all non-US travel is restricted. All conferences, and business trips cancelled and so on. 

[NLengr]

My buddies in business have had all non essential travel cancelled. They work in Canada. 

[rogerroger]

I wouldn’t be shocked if oral exams by the mid/late spring are affected. Non-essential gatherings of physicians are being generally discouraged right now. And increasingly so in places with a growing number of cases.  
 

It will be interesting to see if some remote video based solutions are explored. This could be a game changer for the exams over the long term, who knows...

[Sardaukar]

All students doing International electives at U of T have been recalled and their electives ended. I assume it will be business as usual for now. What are the expectation of residents during these outbreaks? What if you are an incoming PGY1 and things are worse in July - do you just start like its any other day or will they defer starting residency and delay graduation for those that are residents?

[ChemPetE]

2 hours ago, Sardaukar said:

All students doing International electives at U of T have been recalled and their electives ended. I assume it will be business as usual for now. What are the expectation of residents during these outbreaks? What if you are an incoming PGY1 and things are worse in July - do you just start like its any other day or will they defer starting residency and delay graduation for those that are residents?

You need to learn, and they’ll need the hands on deck for teaching wards to replace the graduating docs. I imagine the pgy1’s will simply have a trial by fire. Someone has to be on call July 1, that’s never changed.

[NLengr]

5 hours ago, ChemPetE said:

You need to learn, and they’ll need the hands on deck for teaching wards to replace the graduating docs. I imagine the pgy1’s will simply have a trial by fire. Someone has to be on call July 1, that’s never changed.

That's what happened in 2009 with H1N1. The med students and residents just kept working. 

This has the potential to overwhelm the hospital system in Canada, so everybody will be needed to help, residents included. 

[ellorie]

Few things are certain in life, but that someone needs to be on call is surely one of them. 

[rmorelan]

Havard is going online for all classes as of Mar 23rd - going to be a ghost town here ha

[rogerroger]

18 hours ago, rmorelan said:

Havard is going online for all classes as of Mar 23rd - going to be a ghost town here ha

Could actually forever change the way education is delivered. At least in part. Historically these types of events tend to alter the course of things and push newer technologies into the mainstream. One of the interesting potential socioeconomic echoes of this event for the years down the road. 

Edited March 11, 2020 by rogerroger

[WinterCanon]

University of Saskatchewan has cancelled all medical student learning opportunities in the emergency department.  This includes core rotations and electives for clerks.  Apparently they're working on a plan for the m3s who should be on their core emerg rotation right now...

[JohnGrisham]

1 hour ago, WinterCanon said:

University of Saskatchewan has cancelled all medical student learning opportunities in the emergency department.  This includes core rotations and electives for clerks.  Apparently they're working on a plan for the m3s who should be on their core emerg rotation right now...

Seems like lots of regional and organizational variance in how response is happening..

[Snowmen]

4 hours ago, WinterCanon said:

University of Saskatchewan has cancelled all medical student learning opportunities in the emergency department.  This includes core rotations and electives for clerks.  Apparently they're working on a plan for the m3s who should be on their core emerg rotation right now...

Oh my god I wish they did that at my school. Can't stand my family medicine rotation (which includes ER)... Hahaha

They've just cancelled all international electives for Quebec students per ministry requirement. Clerks also aren't allowed to be inside a suspected or confirmed case's room or to participate in their care. Fine for residents though.

[GH0ST]

NOSM has also cancelled international electives. 

- G 

[WKGOS]

Ottawa cancelled all pre-clerkship observerships (including the mandatory 2nd year clinical week) and all work-related travel (conferences, etc.), including in Canada for students, residents and staff. They also cancelled international electives.

[ChemPetE]

I had planned job interviews in the US in the next few weeks. And had some locally after as well. This is really getting out of hand and I have to make some decisions too. F this whole pandemic business 

[LittleDaisy]

30 minutes ago, ChemPetE said:

I had planned job interviews in the US in the next few weeks. And had some locally after as well. This is really getting out of hand and I have to make some decisions too. F this whole pandemic business 

Would you need to check in with occupation health at PGME after your job interviews? If yes, you will most likely need to be self-quarantined for 14 days.  It depends how much risk you are willing to take. Personally if you still have two weeks of unused vacation, I will still go to the U.S for the job interviews. 

From PARO's emails, it seems like if you decide to go on a business trip/personal trip outside of the country, and if you get sick and need to stay home for 2 weeks; they don't pay you and won't credit the 2 weeks off.

I don't know what are the policies if a resident/fellow gets sick while providing care, and need to stay home for 2 weeks? Can we even claim E.I? DI is out of the line, it only gets kicked in after 3 months of not working. 

[rmorelan]

most places in the US have cancelled electives - even for people already here for quite awhile. One of my friends is dealing with that - kicked out of her dream elective etc. This virus is nasty business all around.

[ChemPetE]

3 hours ago, LittleDaisy said:

Would you need to check in with occupation health at PGME after your job interviews? If yes, you will most likely need to be self-quarantined for 14 days.  It depends how much risk you are willing to take. Personally if you still have two weeks of unused vacation, I will still go to the U.S for the job interviews. 

From PARO's emails, it seems like if you decide to go on a business trip/personal trip outside of the country, and if you get sick and need to stay home for 2 weeks; they don't pay you and won't credit the 2 weeks off.

I don't know what are the policies if a resident/fellow gets sick while providing care, and need to stay home for 2 weeks? Can we even claim E.I? DI is out of the line, it only gets kicked in after 3 months of not working. 

I’m in a weird spot in no man’s land. I’m after residency in a dept funded fellowship and not attendinghood. Not beholden to residency societies but just institutional policy. I’ve already spoken to one of my supervisors about converting (at least temporarily) my fellowship to 100% research for a month or two if I end up traveling I think. But things change quickly so who tf knows what’s going to happen.

[Redpill]

5 hours ago, WKGOS said:

Ottawa cancelled all pre-clerkship observerships (including the mandatory 2nd year clinical week) and all work-related travel (conferences, etc.), including in Canada for students, residents and staff. They also cancelled international electives.

Do you know how long the work-related travel ban is till? Indefinitely?

[WKGOS]

4 hours ago, Redpill said:

Do you know how long the work-related travel ban is till? Indefinitely?

They are meeting to reassess things at some point in April I think.

[NutritionRunner]

From Queen's:

 

TRAVEL
 
Effective immediately, the Faculty of Health Sciences is suspending all academic or work-related travel outside Canada for faculty, staff and students.
 
Individuals considering personal travel outside Canada are advised to consider their decision carefully at this time. Your travel may be disrupted and/or you may be required to enter quarantine on return.

 

ONSITE CONFERENCES AND EVENTS Given that protection of the healthcare workforce is of paramount importance, extra measures have been recommended by our local public health authority. These measures include the cancellation, until further notice, of all academic conferences and events.   As such, effective immediately, the Faculty of Health Sciences is suspending all in-person academic conferences and events.