• Nada Gawad, Chelsea Towaij, Tommy Stuleanu, Carlos Garcia-Ochoa, and Lara J Williams.
• From the Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ont.
• Can J Surg. 2020 May 25; 63 (3): E302-E305.

SummarySurgical programs are facing major and fluctuating changes to the resident workforce because of decreased elective volumes and high exposure risk during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Rapid restructuring of a residency program to protect its workforce while maintaining educational value is imperative. We describe the experience of the Division of General Surgery at the University of Ottawa in Ontario, Canada. The residency program was restructured to feature alternating "on" and "off" weeks, maintaining a healthy resident cohort in case of exposure. Teams were restructured and subdivided to maximize physical distancing and minimize resident exposure to pathogens. Educational initiatives doubled, with virtual sessions targeting every resident year and incorporating intraoperative teaching. The divisional research day and oral exams proceeded uninterrupted, virtually. A small leadership team enabled fast and flexible restructuring of a system for patient care while prioritizing resident safety and maintaining a commitment to resident education in a pandemic.© 2020 Joule Inc. or its licensors.

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