COVID-19 pandemic personal development plan: A model for maximising higher specialty training

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to multiple service delivery changes across acute care sectors in the UK. Due to increased responsibility for care of COVID-19 patients, medical trainees across all specialties might experience difficulty in achieving certain competencies for their training curriculum due to changes in learning opportunities. While there might be a tendency to perceive these changes negatively in terms of the impact on training, we think this unprecedented situation might present a unique learning opportunity. A group of geriatric medicine trainees and trainers devised an innovative, forward-thinking specific training plan based on existing Joint Royal Colleges of Physicians Training Board geriatric medicine curricula, encouraging development of a personal development plan (PDP) tailored to the pandemic. This model could be considered for all specialty training curricula, providing a proactive approach to optimising training during the pandemic. By formulating a ‘pandemic PDP’ early and considering methods to maximise learning, training needs can be met even in these extraordinary times.