Table 3.
Grouped themes and selected quotes from a focus group of COVID-19 JPs after the work period, June 2020a
| Theme | No.b | Selected quotes |
|---|---|---|
| Development of skills | ||
| Learned the clinical research process in a collaborative setting | 16 |
“The [study team] was nice and professional…we developed a good rapport” “was my first time interacting with study team…extremely easy…[learned] about inclusion and exclusion criteria” |
| Increased likelihood of engaging patients in trials | 5 | “I will feel more comfortable pushing for…clinical trials for my patients later on” |
| Exposed to a new clinical dimension with increasing comfort | 25 | “Before this,…I had no idea how I would function as an intern. Now, at least, I have a gist of what my role is and how I will fit into the puzzle of my team” |
| Improved readiness and decreased fear for residency | 26 | “the experience helped me feel more prepared going into residency…most helpful [were]…learning [the EHR]…to prescribe and knowing that pharmacy will review…learning to communicate with nursing…[it’s] going to be useful.” |
| Patient Care | ||
| Complex logistics challenged communication with patients and family | 16 | “we were told not to go into the [patient] room…[and to] call them instead... some patients I never saw…I had trouble calling the family and being a comforting source of info without knowing what the patient looks like” |
| Patient care improved due to synergy within healthcare team | 35 | “the nurses…[who] were going in and out of the rooms were helpful...every morning we would talk about how the patients were doing…I got a much better feeling…I now had [multiple] points of reference to [help] determine [my plan]…[and] use to talk to the family about their loved one” |
| Comfort with provider actions in EHR is paramount to success | 11 | “I got to put my first order in on an EHR that I was used to and for a patient that I had a lot of supervision on. It was really helpful to build my confidence...[I] feel a little better going into residency” |
| Caring for very sick patients was challengingc | 24 | “The ICU was the most challenging aspect of it…even on a normal day outside of COVID [it is] outside of the scope of what a lot of us did in…our rotations. But paired with COVID…to start your career taking care of the sickest patients that some doctors with long careers have seen was daunting” |
| Safety | ||
| Supervision appropriate in most circumstances | 28 | “I could turn around and ask either one of the interns or the seniors any questions…they were very very willing to help me out and get me acclimated” |
| Level of responsibility in the hospital was appropriate | 12 | “I personally felt the level of responsibility…was the same as I will have in a few weeks as an intern…I thought it was appropriate” |
| Administration receptive to hear and address novel challenges | 12 | “it was expected that I care for 7 patients on my first day…it changed after that day to having 2 JPs and a resident on each team… [which] was much better.” |
| Rarely lacked appropriate PPE though difficult to obtain | 21 |
“the only issue that came across was gowns. We were given non-plastic gowns...other than that, we had many face shields, lots of masks” “N95s were not readily available to us but were easily given to us if we asked” |
| Wellness | ||
| Time for self-reflection in emotionally charged setting is imperative | 22 | “the…emotional toll of caring for these incredibly sick patients was very difficult and tiring. It was nice to have five days off to…process that all” |
| Camaraderie with peers and residents was invaluable for personal wellness | 20 | “One of the greatest things was our attitude and willingness to help each other” |
| Feelings of appreciation as healthcare providers helped tremendously | 18 | “I felt more appreciated as a JP than I ever felt as a medical student. For example, the food was provided super often and everyone was very helpful” |
| Significant life alterations due to contact with contagious patients | 10 | “we ended up getting married [early]…and, he’s been living with my sister … and I was alone in the apartment and not putting my family at risk” |
Abbreviations: COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019, EHR Electronic health record, ICU intensive care unit, JP Junior Physician, PPE personal protective equipment
aFocus group occurred virtually in June 2020 with Junior Physicians who worked at NYU Langone Hospital – Long Island or Stony Brook University Hospital after they had finished their work period
bNumber of instances where thematic statements occurred
cIn wellness category in addition to patient care category