Evaluation of the level of knowledge and management skills of resident physicians working in a third-level hospital regarding healthcare services in extraordinary circumstances

Introduction and purpose: Extraordinary Circumstances (EAs) are disasters or crises that result in widespread material and emotional losses in society, where response times are insufficient with existing resources and manpower. Natural or man-made events such as earthquakes, floods, epidemics, migration, and war demand additional knowledge, skills, and attitudes from healthcare professionals not required under normal working conditions. This study was conducted to assess the knowledge and management skills of resident physicians working at Van Yüzüncü Yıl University Dursun Odabaş Medical Center regarding healthcare service delivery in EAs, to reveal their current situation, and to raise their awareness. It also aimed to determine whether additional training on EAs is needed during residency training. Materials and Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted between May 26 and July 15, 2025. Participants were administered an online survey based on the AFAD Turkey Disaster Response Plan and the Disaster and Emergency Management Guidelines of the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Turkey. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Chi-Square, and Fisher's Exact tests. A statistical significance level of 5% (p<0.05) was accepted. Results: 161 resident physicians participated in the study. 57.1% of the participants have worked in at least one ODD in their professional life and 43.5% have received training in ODD management. While the most knowledgeable topics were pandemics and infectious diseases, 45.3% of the participants evaluated their personal preparedness level as insufficient. The areas considered to be the most challenging in ODDs were lack of basic knowledge and resource management. Having received training created significant results in areas such as knowledge of in-hospital organization (p=0.004), sustainability of healthcare services in disaster situations (p<0.001), knowledge of patient evacuation procedures (p=0.024), personal preparedness level (p=0.009), communication competence (p<0.001), knowledge of precautions to be taken in long-term crises such as pandemics (p<0.001) and experience in decision-making during crisis processes (p=0.001). In addition, participants who have worked in ODD in their professional life; showed more positive results in terms of rate of receiving training (p=0.004), personal preparation (p=0.008), adequacy of psychosocial support (p=0.003), communication competence (p<0.001) and long-term crisis management knowledge (p=0.004). Conclusion: There are significant gaps in the knowledge and management skills of resident physicians in ODDs. To address these gaps, the content and scope of undergraduate and postgraduate training programs should be expanded, regular drills should be conducted, hospital disaster plans should be effectively communicated to all staff, and interdisciplinary coordination should be strengthened. Keywords: Emergency situation, disaster management, assistant physician, health services, knowledge level.