key: cord-0885425-x7iq0u7r authors: Thum DiCesare, Jasmine A.; Segar, David J.; Donoho, Daniel; Radwanski, Ryan; Zada, Gabriel; Yang, Isaac title: Democratizing Access to Neurosurgical Medical Education: National Efforts in a Medical Student Training Camp During COVID-19 date: 2020-08-20 journal: World Neurosurg DOI: 10.1016/j.wneu.2020.08.100 sha: ee801ff0b419fde650df130887dea2de8b63f460 doc_id: 885425 cord_uid: x7iq0u7r Abstract Background National medical student surveys amidst COVID-19-driven sub-internship cancellations demonstrate the need for supplemental, standardized subspecialty medical education, mentorship, and career planning nationally. We present the first live, cross-institutional virtual medical student subspecialty training camp to deliver standardized neurosurgical educational content to medical students during the pandemic, and its results on medical student anxiety and perceptions of neurosurgery. Methods The online training camp utilized a video conferencing platform, open to all medical students. A post-training camp survey was administered. Results 305 medical students registered for the event from 107 unique U.S. medical schools. 108 registrants intend to apply to neurosurgery residency in 2021. Top medical student objectives for the training camp were program networking and mentorship. 121 (39.7%) medical students completed the post-event survey; 65.0% reported improved neurosurgical knowledge, 79.8% had decreased anxiety about sub-internships and interviews, 82.5% reported increased enthusiasm about neurosurgery, and 100% desired a future annual virtual training camp due to increased accessibility and decreased cost. This was particularly important for students at institutions without home subspecialty programs, or with financial burdens. Conclusions COVID-19 driven innovations in medical education have accelerated changes that may have long-been necessary. This virtual structure improves resource utilization and scalability compared to in-person training, maintains social distancing, and democratizes access to standardized, specialized content not often available through traditional medical curricula. Even as a supplement to in-person events, the virtual training camp model may be implemented by national medical societies, which may significantly increase medical students’ preparedness for, and education in, neurosurgery and other subspecialties. Background: National medical student surveys amidst COVID-19-driven sub-internship 3 cancellations demonstrate the need for supplemental, standardized subspecialty medical 4 education, mentorship, and career planning nationally. We present the first live, cross-5 institutional virtual medical student subspecialty training camp to deliver standardized 6 neurosurgical educational content to medical students during the pandemic, and its results on 7 medical student anxiety and perceptions of neurosurgery. The need for greater subspecialty exposure, reported by MSs interested in neurosurgery, has 56 been further amplified by the pandemic. 76% of MS3s report ≥1 cancelled or postponed 57 neurosurgery rotation this year, and many MSs perceive a lack of readiness for neurosurgery 58 residency applications. 16 In national surveys, MSs were more likely to take 1 year off from 59 medical school after the start of the pandemic, 16 Regarding respondents' change in attitude towards neurosurgery after the event, on a scale of 1 137 (less enthusiastic) to 5 (more enthusiastic) 82.5% reported a score of 4 -5 (more enthusiastic) 138 ( Fig. 3A) . Free-text comments from two MS2s indicated that the participants were initially 139 interested in pursuing other specialties, but after the event were more interested in neurosurgery 140 than their previously intended subspecialty. After the event, 79.8% of respondents' anxiety levels about the neurosurgery application and/or 143 sub-internship process for the upcoming academic year decreased or greatly decreased (Fig. 3B) . Participants were asked to rate their change in knowledge of neurosurgery after the event 145 compared to before the event on a 5 point scale (1 = no change, 5 = greatly improved). A score 146 of 4-5 was selected by 65.0% of respondents, 34.2% selected a score of 2-3, and 0.8% selected a 147 score of 1 (Fig. 3C ). The highest rated sessions (not including the mentoring session for MS4s) were "What programs COVID-19 and 274 neurosurgical practice: an interim report Impact of COVID-19 on neurosurgery resident research training 277 COVID-19: Knowledge, Readiness, and Impact of this Pandemic Medical student education in the time of COVID-19 Letter: Preliminary National Survey Results 286 Evaluating the Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on Medical Students Pursuing Careers in 287 Association of American Medical Colleges Guidance on Medical Students' Participation 290 in Direct Patient Contact Activities Students-Participation-in-Direct-Patient-Contact-Activities.pdf. Accessed Society of Neurological Surgeons Policy on External Medical Student Rotations during 294 the COVID-19 pandemic Medical student education in neurosurgery: 297 optional or essential? 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Accessed Fear of SARS thwarts medical education in Toronto SARS and its effect on medical education in Hong Kong The Neurosurgical Atlas: Advancing neurosurgical 331 education in the digital age Innovations in neurosurgical 333 education during the COVID-19 pandemic: is it time to reexamine our neurosurgical 334 training models? Medical 336 and Surgical Education Challenges and Innovations in the COVID-19 Era: A Systematic 337 Editorial. COVID-19 and academic neurosurgery COVID-19) Pandemic Academic Neurosurgery Department 349 Response to COVID-19 Pandemic: The University of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital 350 Challenges of Neurosurgery Education During 352 the Coronavirus Disease Factors Influencing Medical Student Interest 355 in a Career in Acknowledgments: All authors who contributed to this manuscript preparation met the criteria of authorship. The authors thank the support staff and from the Department of Neurological Surgery at the University of California, Los Angeles (Colleen Bruton) and the University of Southern California (Katherine Guzman), and the attendings and residents from these institutions that comprised the majority of the panelists. We would also like to thank the visiting professors from