THE EFFECTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION EXPERIENCE AT LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE IN NEW ORLEANS Cathy Lazarus, MD, Hamilton Farris, PhD, Kia Sayers, M4, Nancy Tran, M4, Robin English, MD • CL is the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans • HF is the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans • KS is a senior medical student at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans • NT is a senior medical student at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans • RE is the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans ABSTRACT The COVID-19 pandemic affected students at Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans (LSU SOM NO) as it did at many other medical schools around the world. School administrators, faculty, and students had to adjust their teaching, learning, and assessment strategies in a matter of days to weeks to complete training requirements and ensure continuing education. Four classes of students and the incomingmatriculating class of August 2020 faced an array of unique and universal challenges. Guidance from the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) and the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) shaped the approach taken by course directors, clerkship directors, and faculty within the Offices of Undergraduate Medical Education and Student Affairs to ensure compliance with national recommendations and accreditation standards. Here we describe our efforts and the challenges that lie ahead.
INTRODUCTION In early March of 2020, cases of patients with COVID-19 surged in the NewOrleans metropolitan area. The COVID-19 stay at home order for Louisiana was issued on March 22nd. 1 This necessitated a comprehensive shift in educational strategies for students in their pre-clerkship and clerkship phases. Faculty leaders in the Offices of Undergraduate Medical Education and Student Affairs utilized guidance from our hospital partners and national organizations, such as the AAMC and LCME, to craft a plan for continuing education while keeping our students safe and compliant with city and state regulations. Hospital partners and national organizations recommended thatmedical students cease clinical work in the immediate weeks following the stay at home order, primarily because of the shortage of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). This articleoutlines the changes initiated by class in addition to the overall changes to the medical school experience. All classes encountered different challenges, including curriculum variations in the pre-clerkship phase, postponement or cancellation of important rituals and ceremonies, and alterations in the
residency interview and match selection process. THE CLASS OF 2020
Faced with graduation only weeks after the onset of the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States, like many schools around the country, the possibility of an early graduation for senior year medical students was considered. Leaders at LSU SOM NO decided against pursuing the option given concerns about licensure, supervision, and safety for students who were in a limbo status, being unable to officially start residency training until July 1. Following guidance issued by the AAMC, stating that any student participation in the care of patients with COVID-19 should be voluntary 2 , we quickly developed a new senior year elective so that students who were interested in contributing to local medical volunteer activities could participate and receive credit. Due to PPE shortages, these activities were limited to research, community testing with supervision, following up with patients with COVID-19 who had been discharged from the hospital or sent home 31
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