Professional development during a pandemic: a live virtual conference for emergency medicine chief residents

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Fareen Zaver, University of Calgary; Nicole Battaglioli, Emory University; Christian C. Rose, Stanford University; Tim Montrief, University of Pittsburgh; Al'ai Alvarez, Stanford University; Michelle Lin, University of California San Francisco
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-07-15
• Publisher: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Canadian Association of Emergency Physicians (CAEP)/ Association Canadienne de Médecine d'Urgence (ACMU) 2021
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s43678-021-00146-3
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: CANADIAN JOURNAL OF EMERGENCY MEDICINE
• Volume: 23
• Issue: 5
• Start Page: 696
• End Page: 699
• Grant/Funding Information: None
• Keywords: Chief resident; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Virtual learning; Emergency Medicine; Science & Technology; Professional development
• Research Categories: Education, Health; Health Sciences, Health Care Management

Abstract

Limited professional development training exists for chief residents. The available training uses in-person lectures and workshops at annual national conferences. The COVID-19 pandemic prevented most in-person gatherings in 2020, including pivotal onboarding and training events for new chief residents. However, for the last five years, Academic Life in Emergency Medicine’s Chief Resident Incubator conducted year-long remote training programs, creating virtual communities of practice for chief residents in emergency medicine (EM). As prior leaders and alumni from the Incubator, we sought to respond to the limitations presented by the pandemic and create an onboarding event to provide foundational knowledge for incoming chief residents. We developed a half-day virtual conference, whereupon 219 EM chief residents enrolled. An effective professional development experience is feasible and scalable using online videoconferencing technologies, especially if constructed with content expertise, psychological safety, and production design in mind.