Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic onset had a global debilitating impact on individuals and on burgeoning careers. In 2021, the Children’s Oncology Group Young Investigators Committee, Young SIOP (International Society of Pediatric Oncology) Network, and Young SIOPE (European Society for Paediatric Oncology) co-sponsored a survey to explore the impacts of the first year of the pandemic on early-career pediatric oncology professionals with respect to working practices, productivity, professional and career development, personal well-being, and changing childcare needs.

Methods: The survey comprised demographic, multiple-choice, and free-text questions, and was distributed via email and social media with English, French and Spanish versions available. Descriptive statistics and Chi-square tests were used to compare quantitative data by self-designated gender and country of origin. Qualitative data were described using content analysis.

Results: Professionals (N=499, 26.3% male, 77.2% MDs) in 48 countries (77.6% high-income) responded in English (79.4%), Spanish (12.4%), and French (8.2%). Respondents had difficulty obtaining and keeping jobs (26.9%), worsened overall academic productivity (50.7%, with higher rates among bench scientists, p<0.01), and decreased career opportunities (40.9%). Childcare challenges impacted 56.7% of respondents and was felt more negatively among women (p=0.008) and in high-income settings (p<0.0001). Qualitative data (n=300) highlighted these differences were often attributable to diminished professional/personal boundaries and impacted their personal wellbeing. 

Conclusion: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted early-career academic and clinical professionals working in pediatric oncology, with unique challenges noted among those with childcare responsibilities. Career disruptions that resulted from the pandemic should be considered and mitigated by governing bodies and hiring institutions.