Response to COVID Pandemic

Right at the start of pandemic in March 2020, our program made a robust response to facilitate fellow training and wellbeing as highlighted below:

NICU rounds and bedside teaching remained unchanged. NICU admissions for academic year 2020-2021 were higher than in each of the previous two consecutive years.
All educational lectures, meetings, and conferences were made virtual using Zoom or WebEx. 

Program installed video cameras in all NICU work trainee and providers workspaces and NICU team members (fellows, NNPs, RN managers, Neonatal nutritionists, faculty, discharge coordinator, program coordinators) office computers.

Between program arranged regular educational talks and the Organization of Neonatal-Perinatal Training Program Directors & PAS sponsored talks, our fellows had more than usual educational sessions.

NRP training and Simulation sessions remained uninterrupted but with smaller groups and maintaining appropriate precautions.

Our fellows were not required to assist outside the NICU during surge in 2020.

Clinical and research related Fellow-faculty in-person one-on-one interactions were maintained. 

For both 2020 & 2021, the Annual Pediatric Research Day was virtual with great trainee and faculty attendance.

We had small graduation party with social distancing in 2020 (indoors) and a larger one outdoors in 2021. Graduating fellows for June 2020 and 2021 were relieved on schedule.

Program established an exclusive Fellow-PD-Coordinator-Division Head ONLY WhatsApp group used for rapid program related communication, sharing stories and pictures.

Because one of the incoming fellows (July 2020) could not join the program from overseas, faculty covered all in-house overnight and weekend calls associated with one first year fellow.