E.I. Medunoye¹, V. Koledoye², O.E. Bello³, S.O. Fagbemi⁴, O.E. Medunoye⁵, O.T. Ojo-Rowland⁶, P.O. Osho⁷

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¹Department of Family Medicine, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo and University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akurẹ.

²Department of Hematology/Immunology, University of Medical Sciences Ondo.

³Department of Paediatrics and Child Health, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo and University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital, Akurẹ.

⁴Director of public health, Ondo State ministry of health

⁵NHIS Unit, State Specialist Hospital, Ondo state

⁶Faculty of clinical science, Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Ilorin Teaching hospital, Ilorin, Kwara state

⁷University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria.

 

Corresponding author: Osho P.O.  University of Medical Sciences Teaching Hospital Complex, Akure, Ondo State, Nigeria, Email: droshopo@unimed.edu.ng

 

Citation E.I. Medunoye, V. Koledoye, O.E. Bello, S.O. Fagbemi, O.E. Medunoye, O.T. Ojo-Rowland, P.O. Osho (2026) Effects of Covid-19 Pandemic On Family Medicine Practice in A Nigerian Teaching Hospital. Int J Fam Med Pub Health, 5(1);1-4.

 

Copyrights: © 2026, Osho P.O, et al., This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.

 

Abstract:

 

The COVID-19 pandemic posed a significant and unprecedented threat to all aspects of human activity, with the healthcare sector experiencing profound disruption. Health professionals were particularly affected, not only through increased clinical demands and occupational risks but also through substantial interruptions to their training and professional development. Infection prevention measures such as physical distancing, restrictions on gatherings, and periodic lockdowns altered conventional modes of medical education, especially postgraduate residency training that relies heavily on face-to-face clinical interactions. This study examined the experiences of resident doctors undergoing postgraduate training in Family Medicine within a residency programme in South-West Nigeria during the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

A qualitative descriptive approach was employed to explore the perspectives of residents and trainers regarding the impact of the pandemic on training and service delivery. Data were obtained through interviews and group discussions and analysed thematically. The findings were organised into six major categories. These included the effects on hospital practice, such as service reorganisation, altered duty rosters, and increased workload; the effects on patients, including reduced clinic attendance, delayed presentations, and challenges in continuity of care; and the effects on training activities and knowledge acquisition, notably disruptions to academic sessions, reduced clinical exposure, and delays in assessments. Additional themes related to the rapid adoption of technology and telemedicine for patient care and teaching, the influence of government policies on health service delivery and training structures, and international push–pull factors that intensified residents’ intentions to migrate for perceived better working and training conditions.

 

The study underscores the far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on family medicine residency training and highlights the need for resilient training models, strengthened digital infrastructure, and supportive policies to safeguard postgraduate medical education during future public health emergencies.

 

Keywords: COVID-19 pandemic; Family Medicine; Residency training; Health professionals.