599 - State of Academic Pediatric Faculty During the Covid19 Pandemic

Poster Number: 599
Publication Number: 599.208

Corrie E. Chumpitazi, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Elizabeth A. Camp, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Teresia M. O'Connor, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Oriana Perez, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Michael L. Chang, UTHealth Houston McGovern Medical School, Houston-Hermann, TX, United States; Heather T. Keenan, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake CIty, UT, United States; Jennifer W. Mack, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States; Anne C. Slater, Seattle Children's Hospital, Beaux Arts, WA, United States; Abby R. Rosenberg, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States; Angela L. Myers, Children's Mercy Kansas City, Kansas City, MO, United States; Lise E. Nigrovic, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States; Jennifer O'Toole, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center | University of Cincinnati College of Medicine, CINCINNATI, OH, United States; Kimberly A. Randell, Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics, Kansas City, MO, United States; Jennifer L. Reed, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati, OH, United States; Jennifer Reese, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States; Jessica Snowden, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock, AR, United States; Susan H. Wootton, McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX, United States; Sonja I. Ziniel, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, United States; H. Joseph Yost, University of Utah School of Medicine, Salt Lake City, UT, United States; Kristy O. Murray, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States; Lara Shekerdemian, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected both home and work routines and may have exacerbated existing inequities in academic pediatrics. 

Objective: The objectives of this study were to describe pediatric faculty work productivity and caregiving responsibilities during the pandemic, identify groups at increased risk for negative impacts, and explore potential mitigation strategies.

Design/Methods: In September 2021, we conducted a cross-sectional electronic survey to assess potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and caregiving responsibilities on faculty members with primary appointments at one of nine U.S. pediatric departments. Responses were analyzed by demographics, rank and site.   Free text responses were analyzed using a qualitative coding approach to identify additional potentially beneficial mitigation strategies.

Results: Of the 5,679 surveyed, 1,534 faculty completed the survey (27% response rate).  Compared to the year prior to the pandemic, faculty with greater caregiving responsibilities reported greater decreases in research and teaching scholarly output quantity and quality during the pandemic (P < 0.05). Faculty that reported ≥10% effort in clinical, teaching, or research received questions specific to those duty areas. Among faculty with >10% research effort, greater negative pandemic impact on one-year outlook for their research if female (p=0.01), junior faculty (p= 0.03), or had increased caregiving responsibilities (p< -0.001). Outlook did not differ for those subgroups for teaching, clinical or administrative positions.  Delays in promotion were anticipated for 44% of respondents. More than a third (39%) of faculty reported wellness concerns affecting job performance.  Suggested mitigation strategies included clear communication of expectations by leadership, acknowledged need for adjustments in expectations for productivity, and flexibility in schedules to account for pandemic-related challenges.Conclusion(s): The COVID-19 pandemic negatively impacted many pediatric faculty, with the greatest effects on junior faculty and those with higher caregiving responsibilities, and research faculty. Mitigation strategies are needed to minimize the long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric faculty, with consideration for those groups potentially more affected.