Introduction.

Changes in health systems and hospital institutions due to the coronavirus pandemic influenced global surgical activity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of the pandemic on the levels of autonomy and supervision in general surgery residents.

Methods.

Quasi-experimental analytical study. It included the surgical procedures recorded by general surgery residents of the University of La Sabana from February 2019 to August 2021. Autonomy and supervision were analyzed using the Zwisch scale in the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.

Results.

10,618 procedures were collected in the established period. Most surgeries were performed with an open approach (57,4%), in rotations of general surgery (65%). The most frequent procedures performed were appendectomy (18,6%), and cholecystectomy (18,4%), and herniorrhaphy (8,6%). There was a decrease in levels of autonomy and supervision compared between the analyzed periods from 2, 4/4, 0 to 2, 2/4, 0 (p<0.001).

Discussion.

The decrease in the autonomy perceived by the residents could correspond to the negative impact on the intrinsic motivation of the individuals, a decrease in the achievement of the competencies expected in their surgical training process, and the loss of the collective relationship produced by the isolation and limitations experienced.

Conclusion.

The COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on autonomy and supervision in general surgery residents of the University of La Sabana, Chia, Colombia.

        · |     · |     · ( pdf )