Reduction of exposure in residents of Surgery in face of the outbreak of COVID-19

The worldwide outbreak of COVID-19 during the first quarter of 2020 constitutes an unprecedented challenge for the health system. The aim is to describe the strategies adopted by residents of General Surgery of a university hospital of Argentina, to safeguard the health of residents, reduce the risk of exposure of surgical patients, maintain continuous academic training and promote teamwork. Minimize resident exposure by dividing the group into two teams that work by fortnights; divide activities, hours within hospital, and shifts equally among residents; use telemedicine for postoperative / ambulatory controls; suspend office activity; organize daily online classes and reviews of published articles. In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic, all means should be used to minimize the risk of exposure in order to optimize human resources. Although these strategies can easily be applied to other residencies, more research is needed to assess their impact on disease transmission, and on the physical and emotional health of health professionals.