OA03 Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rheumatology training: results of the regional survey from the North West of England

Abstract Background/Aims The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted healthcare delivery and provision of medical education and training worldwide. We assessed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rheumatology training experience in the Northwest and Merseyside deaneries of England. Methods Rheumatology trainees from the Northwest and Merseyside deaneries were issued links to an anonymous web-based survey on their training experience between August 2020 to April 2021, during the 2nd wave of the Covid-19 pandemic. Results 34 of 42 trainees completed the survey. 31 were in clinical training: 13 (42%) in a pure rheumatology post and 18 (58%) in a dual post with general medicine. Most trainees attended 3-4 clinics per week (58%), with 23% attending ≤2 clinics and 19% attending 5 clinics. The proportion of face-to-face clinics ranged from 20% to 100% (median 60%). The reduced face-to-face clinical experience was not due to trainees’ needs to shield. The range of proportion of phone consultations was 0% to 80% (median 40%). Remote consultations were conducted by telephone only for 26 (84%) trainees and by video or phone for 3 (10%). The durations for both face-to-face and virtual consultations were ranged similarly at 15 to 45 minutes (median 30minutes) for new cases and 15 to 30 minutes (median 20 minutes) for follow-ups. Only 5 (16%) trainees felt confident with assessing new patients by remote consultation. 8 (26%) trainees had some form of formal training in a virtual consultation. However, only 4 (13%) reported being “aware” of how to guide a patient through self-examination of the joints, 17 (55%) trainees were “somewhat aware”, and 10 (32%) were “not aware”. 20 (65%) trainees reported reliance on radiological and serological investigations rather than clinical skills during remote consultations. Development of skills for patient communication, joint injections, time management, and prescribing immune-suppressive medications were mainly hampered. The majority of trainees agreed that virtual educational programs had improved opportunities for attendance at structured deanery teaching sessions. Conclusion The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on rheumatology training has been significant both in terms of current rheumatology education programme delivery and training requirements. Our regional survey shows less than a third of trainees had formal training in conducting remote consultations resulting in low levels of confidence in assessing patients remotely. Less fac