Initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public health training: participatory action research to understand experiences in the East Midlands

Maile, E L; Horsley, S M; Dunn, T; Knight, J M; Brough, Grace; Davies, Nathan; Pierce, Elizabeth; Evans, Megan S; Rebecca Johnston, Helen; Turvey, Andrew; Blackmore, Claire; Cooper, Rosie

Abstract

Background

Specialty public health training consists of 48 months of practice across the domains of health protection, healthcare public health and health improvement. With the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, activity pivoted towards pandemic management and the response became a significant element of registrar practice. This research aimed to understand the impact of this shift in focus on registrars’ role and training.

Methods

Participatory action research comprising (i) a reflective survey sent to all specialty registrars in the East Midlands training region and (ii) Delphi rounds with survey respondents to generate consensus and define themes.

Results

Sixteen (44%) registrars completed the survey with 12 (75%) participating in the Delphi rounds. The early pandemic response stages both challenged and re-affirmed registrars’ role and identity in public health and training while providing unique and diverse learning and development. Underpinning these themes is a variability in experience depending on prior experience, placement and training stage.

Conclusions

The pandemic impacted the practice, training and home-life of registrars who were required to negotiate significant challenge and uncertainty. This original work adds to a growing body of correspondence and opinion pieces articulating the experiences and challenges of medical and public health education during a pandemic.

Citation

Maile, E. L., Horsley, S. M., Dunn, T., Knight, J. M., Brough, G., Davies, N., …Cooper, R. (2024). Initial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on public health training: participatory action research to understand experiences in the East Midlands. Journal of Public Health, 45(1), 162-168. https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdab348

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Aug 19, 2021
• Online Publication Date: Sep 28, 2021
• Publication Date: Mar 1, 2024
• Deposit Date: Jan 10, 2024
• Journal: Journal of Public Health
• Print ISSN: 0943-1853
• Electronic ISSN: 1741-3850
• Publisher: Springer
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 45
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 162-168
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/pubmed/fdab348
• Keywords: Public health, health protection, education, employment and skills
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/18993402
• Publisher URL: https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/article/45/1/162/6377511