COVID-19 Epidemiology and Google Searches

We read “Increased internet search interest for GI symptoms may predict COVID-19 cases in US hotspots” by Ahmad et al with interest. The authors compared search volume for gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) incidence in 15 states to observe that searches for the terms ageusia, loss of appetite, and diarrhea correlated with disease burden at 4 weeks. In our own analysis of Google Trends, we made similar observations with a few distinctions. We assessed COVID-19 plus diarrhea searches and United States COVID-19 epidemiology by using the Pearson correlation coefficient. We used Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data for reported incidence and mortality (deaths per capita), cross-referencing with U.S. census data.Our findings suggest that diarrhea searches do not correlate well with disease burden; however, although analysis of online searches for GI symptoms and COVID-19 is not likely to be a good substitute for more traditional epidemiologic methods, search activity could still be useful as part of a more complex model. As you have concluded, Google Trends is a valuable tool, and it is our responsibility to carefully understand and refine its role in this global pandemic

Virtual Gastroenterology Fellowship Recruitment During COVID-19 and Its Implications for the Future

This article is made available for unrestricted research re-use and secondary analysis in any form or by any means with acknowledgement of the original source. These permissions are granted for the duration of the World Health Organization (WHO) declaration of COVID-19 as a global pandemic.Background and Aims Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, medical education organizations endorsed a virtual recruitment format, representing a stark change from traditional in-person interviews. We aimed to identify the attitudes and perceptions of Gastroenterology Fellowship Program Directors (PDs) and applicants regarding the virtual interview experience and the role of virtual interviews (VI) in the future. Methods We designed separate surveys targeting PDs and applicants using the Qualtrics software. At the end of the interview season, we e-mailed both survey links to all PDs and requested that they forward the applicant survey to their interviewed candidates. Surveys were voluntary and anonymous. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the data with results presented as percentages. Results A total of 29.7% of PDs completed the survey. Compared to traditional interviews, VI were viewed by 46.5% of PDs to be very suboptimal or suboptimal. Yet, 69.1% envisioned a role for VI in the future. A total of 14.2% of applicants completed the survey. Compared to traditional interviews, VI were viewed by 42.3% of applicants to be very suboptimal or suboptimal. However, 61.8% saw a future role for VI. While both applicants and PDs reported that establishing an interpersonal connection was a disadvantage with VI, applicants placed more emphasis on this need for connection (p = 0.001). Conclusion Overall, PDs and applicants report mixed views with regard to VI but anticipate that it may continue to have a future role. VI may augment future recruitment cycles with care taken to not disadvantage applicants, who rely heavily on the interview process to create personal connections with programs

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Clinical Learning Environment: Addressing Identified Gaps and Seizing Opportunities

The clinical learning environment (CLE) encompasses the learner’s personal characteristics and experiences, social relationships, organizational culture, and the institution’s physical and virtual infrastructure. During the COVID-19 pandemic, all four of these parts of the CLE have undergone a massive and rapid disruption. Personal and social communications have been limited to virtual interactions or shifted to unfamiliar clinical spaces because of redeployment. Rapid changes to the organizational culture required prompt adaptations from learners and educators in their complex organizational systems yet caused increased confusion and anxiety among them. A traditional reliance on a physical infrastructure for classical educational practices in the CLE was challenged when all institutions had to undergo a major transition to a virtual learning environment. However, disruptions spurred exciting innovations in the CLE. An entire cohort of physicians and learners underwent swift adjustments in their personal and professional development and identity as they rose to meet the clinical and educational challenges they faced due to COVID-19. Social networks and collaborations were expanded beyond traditional institutional walls and previously held international boundaries within multiple specialties. Specific aspects of the organizational and educational culture, including epidemiology, public health, and medical ethics, were brought to the forefront in health professions education, while the physical learning environment underwent a rapid transition to a virtual learning space. As health professions education continues in the era of COVID-19 and into a new era, educators must take advantage of these dynamic systems to identify additional gaps and implement meaningful change. In this article, health professions educators and learners from multiple institutions and specialties discuss the gaps and weaknesses exposed, opportunities revealed, and strategies developed for optimizing the CLE in the post–COVID-19 world