COVID-19 consequences on medical students interested in neurosurgery: an Italian perspective

From the isolation of COVID-19 in the first patients back in December 2019, there have been important changes all over the world. From the beginning of March 2020, Italy became one of the most affected countries, in terms of the number of patients diagnosed with COVID-19, becoming soon the third country worldwide for the number of patients affected. To prevent further contamination, the authorities declared a state of emergency and proceeded with the lockdown of the country. These institutional changes had an important effect also on the formation of medical students. Since quarantine made impossible the traditional educational process, new solutions have to be found to overcome the impossibilities of medical students to attend their lectures and clerkships. Frontal lectures, as well as exams, have been completely transferred on virtual learning platforms Medical students interested in pursuing a career in neurological surgery, are facing unrepeated educational challenges due to national, and now international, policies aiming to control COVID-19 spread. It is now very difficult to provide opportunities for medical students in clinical and operative neurosurgery. Since medical students are required to stay at their homes, avoiding attendance to hospitals and laboratories, it has been felt the need to develop new educational strategies to keep those students proactive in developing their interest and their scientific and clinical skills.