COVID-19 and VA Medical Education Training Programs: Influence on Trainees and Contributions of Trainees to VA’s Pandemic Response
6 affiliations
- 1VA QUERI Center for Evaluation and Implementation Resources, Ann Arbor, USA
- 2Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
- 3Capital College, School of Behavioral Sciences and Education, Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg—Capital College, Middletown, PA, USA, Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg—Capital College, Middletown, PA USA
- 4VA Office of Academic Affiliations (OAA), Washington, D.C., USA
- 5Department of Surgery (Ophthalmology), Brown University, Providence, RI USA
- 6Department of Learning Health Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI USA
Abstract
Background: The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has prioritized efforts to understand the influence of COVID-19 on VA clinicians and the overall VA system of care. Given the importance of health professions trainee (HPT) contributions to clinical and research activities, it is important to understand HPT contributions to VA’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Objective: This study evaluated the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on VA HPTs and the contributions of HPTs to VA’s pandemic response.
Design: Across selected VA sites, semi-structured interviews were used to gather perspectives from three participant groups: (1) HPTs across three disciplines at different levels of training, (2) service chiefs representing the disciplines in which the HPTs received training, and (3) educational leadership. Interviews were conducted in 2021.
Participants: Stratified sampling was used to identify 10 VA medical sites, from which 83 participants were purposefully sampled.
Approach: Descriptive content analysis was used to iteratively analyze collected data.
Key Results: HPTs reported decreased learning opportunities and increased safety concerns related to COVID-19 during their training placements. HPTs were seen as providing important contributions to multiple aspects of VA’s efforts to respond to challenges related to COVID-19, including providing needed clinical care, supporting VA’s shift to telehealth, providing informational and emotional support to Veterans, helping with COVID planning and decision-making, and fostering a positive work environment.
Conclusions: Although COVID-19 presented limitations to HPT involvement in VA activities, HPTs made meaningful contributions to care delivery and brought skills to support VA’s transition to virtual care delivery. HPTs are an important group to be included in future emergency response planning within VA.
NIH Trial Registry Number: Not applicable.
Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-026-10522-3.
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BibTeX
@article{kawentel2026covid19,
title = {{COVID-19 and VA Medical Education Training Programs: Influence on Trainees and Contributions of Trainees to VA’s Pandemic Response}},
author = {Linda M. Kawentel and C. Ann Vitous and Sharon M. Nelson and Gezan M. Yahya and Joanna S. Doredla and Karen Sanders and Nicholas W. Bowersox},
journal = {Journal of General Internal Medicine},
year = {2026},
month = may,
doi = {10.1007/s11606-026-10522-3},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-026-10522-3},
note = {CC BY 4.0},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - COVID-19 and VA Medical Education Training Programs: Influence on Trainees and Contributions of Trainees to VA’s Pandemic Response
AU - Linda M. Kawentel
AU - C. Ann Vitous
AU - Sharon M. Nelson
AU - Gezan M. Yahya
AU - Joanna S. Doredla
AU - Karen Sanders
AU - Nicholas W. Bowersox
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/05/27
JO - Journal of General Internal Medicine
DO - 10.1007/s11606-026-10522-3
UR - https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-026-10522-3
AB - Background: The US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has prioritized efforts to understand the influence of COVID-19 on VA clinicians and the overall VA system of care. Given the importance of health professions trainee (HPT) contributions to clinical and research activities, it is important to understand HPT contributions to VA’s work during the COVID-19 pandemic. Objective: This study evaluated the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on VA HPTs and the contributions of HPTs to VA’s pandemic response. Design: Across selected VA sites, semi-structured interviews were used to gather perspectives from three participant groups: (1) HPTs across three disciplines at different levels of training, (2) service chiefs representing the disciplines in which the HPTs received training, and (3) educational leadership. Interviews were conducted in 2021. Participants: Stratified sampling was used to identify 10 VA medical sites, from which 83 participants were purposefully sampled. Approach: Descriptive content analysis was used to iteratively analyze collected data. Key Results: HPTs reported decreased learning opportunities and increased safety concerns related to COVID-19 during their training placements. HPTs were seen as providing important contributions to multiple aspects of VA’s efforts to respond to challenges related to COVID-19, including providing needed clinical care, supporting VA’s shift to telehealth, providing informational and emotional support to Veterans, helping with COVID planning and decision-making, and fostering a positive work environment. Conclusions: Although COVID-19 presented limitations to HPT involvement in VA activities, HPTs made meaningful contributions to care delivery and brought skills to support VA’s transition to virtual care delivery. HPTs are an important group to be included in future emergency response planning within VA. NIH Trial Registry Number: Not applicable. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-026-10522-3.
SN - 0884-8734
SN - 1525-1497
ER -