The outbreak of COVID-19 had substantial impact on trainees. Examinations were cancelled, rotations to other specialties were suspended with little information available regarding the immediate impact and enduring consequences of the pandemic. Trainee morale in AMU dropped during this uncertain period, which this project aimed to address.

To identify baseline levels of morale, an anonymous survey was distributed to all AMU trainees at Musgrove Park Hospital via social media, asking to rate level of agreement using a Likert scale with several wellbeing statements such as ‘I feel happy at work’ and ‘I feel part of the AMU team’. The introduction of a cake rota encouraged trainees to pick a date they would provide cake for the team. Every Friday, after AMU ward round had finished, the team could eat together, whilst also offering an opportunity to socialise as a group. The survey was then redistributed to ascertain post-intervention levels of wellbeing.

Responses to the question ‘I look forward to coming to work’ were scored more positively post-intervention, with 50% now strongly agreeing with this statement, compared to 0% prior. Similarly, trainees demonstrated an increasingly positive response to the statements ‘I feel part of the AMU team’, ‘there is a spirit of co-operation and teamwork within my team’ and ‘I get along well with my co-workers’, as 100% of trainees now strongly agreed, compared to 43% pre-intervention. This was echoed in the free text comments at the bottom of the survey, where one individual commented this was a ‘great idea to encourage team camaraderie’.

Introducing simple measures (such as a weekly cake rota) promoted teamwork, collaboration, and a sense of unity, to help address a decline in trainee morale resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. Longer term, this could improve individual wellbeing and maintain enthusiasm for a job which can be challenging and unpredictable, attributes which could be valuable as we enter a post-COVID world.