Impact of COVID-19 on continuing professional development: Perspectives of audiologists.

Background:  The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic triggered unprecedented disruptions to continuing professional development (CPD) activities, which are essential for healthcare professionals (HCPs) to stay abreast on best practices, current knowledge and emerging technologies, ultimately enhancing patient care. Audiologists encountered multiple challenges during the pandemic, necessitating adaptations and innovations in their CPD practices. While literature was published during the pandemic on shifting education systems to online platforms, little is known about its impact on the CPD of young audiologists working in the private sector.

Methods:  A descriptive, qualitative research design was adopted to collect rich data from 11 audiologists using online semi-structured interviews which were thematically analysed using Braun and Clark's steps.

Results:  COVID-19 brought about both positive adaptations and negative disruptions to the CPD activities of young audiologists. Eight major themes were identified in this study. These include (1) the adoption of online learning, (2) improved flexibility, (3) cost-effectiveness, (4) diverse learning opportunities, (5) keeping current, (6) isolation and networking, (7) limited interactivity and (8) uncertain quality assurance.

Conclusion:  The COVID-19 pandemic had a considerable influence on the CPD activities of young audiologists in the private sector. While presenting significant challenges, including disruptions to traditional learning modalities, the pandemic also catalysed innovation and adaptation within the profession.Contribution: This study highlights the resilience exhibited by young audiologists towards their CPD and also provides actionable insights for informing professional development initiatives, tailored to the evolving needs of audiologists in the post-COVID-19 era.