COVID-19 Pandemic: Disruption or a Fertile Experiential Learning Platform for Emergency Medicine Residents?

With pandemics such as COVID-19, there will be disruptions to routines. A new norm should be established, knowing that the new disequilibrium can catalyse conflicts, misunderstandings, frustrations, avoidance, panic, anxiety, confusion and even fear. These must be anticipated and planned for early, addressing them through strategic plans, interventions and communications. In training and educating our emergency medicine residents, who are providing clinical service at the front line during the outbreak, a conscious effort has to be put in and be made known to them that the changes in workload, added practices and new training will value add to their development and experience in becoming an emergency physician. The changes will include a multitude of surrogate learning methodologies and tools, but also a relook at old practices through fresh eyes. The emergency medicine residents will also learn the importance of discipline, alignment with protocols and algorithms, how to be organised and create order, even if the untrained eye sees “chaos”. COVID-19 presented a very fertile ground for these residents, with the opportunity to learn and acquire so many new experiences. They are emotionally engaged. It offers a rich platform of experiential and embedded learning. Residents can “feel” the energy and dynamism. Without realising it, all these are critical to building the culture of the department and the practice of emergency medicine.