Pediatric cardiology national education series: A remote education response to COVID-19

Objective: Medical education experienced widespread disruption during the first peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. In response, members of the Society of Pediatric Cardiology Training Program Directors (SPCTPD) created a series of live, Zoom-based lectures for pediatric cardiology fellows. The goals were to support fellow didactic education and connect fellows and faculty during the pandemic. We sought to determine the impact of the lecture series on pediatric cardiology fellows around the country. Methods: Pediatric cardiology experts from across the country volunteered to give lectures in the Pediatric Cardiology National Education Series (PC-NES). Lectures were held online once or twice weekly for 3 months during Spring 2020, while many fellows had modified clinical responsibilities. Fellows voluntarily completed an online survey before and after the lecture series. Results: On the initial survey, a majority of fellows responded they would benefit from more didactic education while their training was impacted by COVID-19. After the series concluded, almost all (95%) fellows responded that PC-NES lectures were valuable supplements to their training during COVID-19. They included quality of lectures, board-relevance, and a way to connect to the pediatric cardiology community as key reasons for participating in PC-NES, and 100% responded they felt PC-NES should continue in some capacity. Conclusion: The PC-NES was a low-cost, simple way to deliver high-quality supplemental education to pediatric cardiology fellows, help trainees build a network of peers and learn from experts outside their home institution. Similar models could connect other pediatric trainees at local, regional, or national levels, and provide valuable supplemental education opportunities.