key: cord-0727815-86v8wimr
authors: Ashif, Chowdhury Md; Tan, Yi Quan; Wang, Ziting; Tiong, Ho Yee; Chiong, Edmund
title: Right Place, Right Time: Serendipitous Opportunities in a Urology Fellowship Disrupted by the COVID-19 Pandemic
date: 2020-06-11
journal: Urology
DOI: 10.1016/j.urology.2020.05.061
sha: db00b369f396ccdbb9d3e4535b0fe3ab7e5ef4e5
doc_id: 727815
cord_uid: 86v8wimr

nan

trusting that it reduces steep learning curves, improves patient outcomes, and lay foundations to start new clinical services. [1] [2] [3] Alas, the COVID-19 pandemic afflicted Singapore in February 2020, derailing my plans. Surgical workload reduced significantly, with only urgent oncological cases allowed to proceed. Livingrelated renal transplants reduced by over 90% due to its elective nature, resource consumption, and reported high mortality rates for recipients with COVID-19. This was compounded by the inability to operate with different mentors due to team segregation. Academically, major workshops and conferences were postponed. 3 With the extensive impact on training, 3 Fellows in other surgical departments left for home early in the pandemic. I was confronted with the major dilemma of quitting versus staying. Personally, distance from family, worry about the situation back home, and escalating travel restrictions exacerbated the stress in decision-making. A major source of comfort was the support from my host department and family. I resolved to stay put, with a strong desire to persevere despite adversity.

A fortnight later, Singapore experienced a surge in COVID-19 infections among migrant workers residing in dormitories, accounting for over 90% of cases. Singapore hosts 160,000 Bangladeshi migrant workers, forming a large number of the 323,000 at-risk dormitory-based population.

Globally, migrant workers are particularly vulnerable during this pandemic, with more barriers in obtaining reliable information in their native language and accessing healthcare services. 4 Being from Bangladesh, I unexpectedly found myself in a unique position to contribute significantly in my host nation's and hospital's efforts in managing this outbreak. I was given the opportunity to create videos in Bengali to provide timely information to my fellow countrymen, supported by a Singapore Government multi-Ministry task force and our hospital. 5 With doctors facing a surge in demand for Bengali translation, I volunteered as a 24-7 on-call translator.

Administratively, time was dedicated to assist the Bangladeshi High Commission in transcribing COVID-19-related medical reports.

My aspirations of gaining Uro-Oncology and Transplant experience had been significantly hampered by the pandemic. Yet thankfully, I serendipitously found myself at the right place and

The Association of Urologic Oncology Fellowship Training and Diagnostic Yield of Prostate Biopsy

Fellowship and Subspecialization in Urology: An Analysis of Robotic-assisted Partial Nephrectomy

Impact of Fellowship Training in Initiating a Laparoscopic Donor Nephrectomy Program

The Neglected Health of International Migrant Workers in the COVID-19 Epidemic

Accessible at: www.mom.gov.sg/passes-and-permits/work-permit-for-foreign-worker/publications-andresources