Empowering Trainees to Aim For Physician Wellness

Wellness and Work: Mixed Messages in Residency Training

“…52,[54][55][56] In addition to individualized efforts at hospitals and residency programs, systemic change will involve regulators, payers, accreditation agencies, policymakers, and patients. 57,58 The path forward must first focus on systems that measure and track physician well-being as an institutional goal and create opportunities and time for physicians to engage in program development. 59 Another recommendation is that health systems adequately staff their hospitals with resident and nonresident personnel and reduce documentation burden on trainees for non-educational purposes.…”

The Burnout Conundrum: Nature Versus Nurture?

“…[2][3][4][5][6] The systematic review by Raj 2 notes that a clear operational definition of well-being during residency training does not exist. As a result it will be difficult for program directors to identify residents with compromised well-being or study interventions that promote wellness.…”

“…5,6 Can 3 to 7 years of graduate medical education effectively prepare physicians for current and future sources of stress? This is especially relevant when we take into account current practice challenges, such as increasing documentation pressures, electronic health records, meaningful use, and patient open access to records; risk management issues; decreased time with patients; and less control over work in large institutional practices versus physician-run practices.…”