Personal life and working conditions of trainees and young specialists in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases in Europe: a questionnaire survey

The Coronavirus Disease 2019 Pandemic Unmasked the Challenges Faced by Early-Stage Faculty in Infectious Diseases: A Call to Action

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and associated increase in family care responsibilities resulted in unsustainable personal and professional workloads for infectious diseases (ID) faculty on the front lines. This was especially true for early-stage faculty (ESF), many of whom had caregiving responsibilities. In addition, female faculty, underrepresented in medicine and science faculty and particularly ESF, experienced marked declines in research productivity, which significantly impacts career trajectories. When combined with staffing shortages due to an aging workforce and suboptimal recruitment and retention in ID, these work-life imbalances have brought the field to an inflection point. We propose actionable recommendations and call on ID leaders to act to close the gender, racial, and ethnic gaps to improve the recruitment, retention, and advancement of ESF in ID. By investing in systemic change to make the ID workforce more equitable, we can embody the shared ideals of diversity and inclusion and prepare for the next pandemic.

Parenting and caregiving duties as career challenges among clinical microbiologists: a cross-sectional survey

Aim: To estimate the burden of parenting and caregiving duties among clinical microbiologists in Germany and to identify workplace-related support systems and barriers to engaging in career-relevant activities. Methods: A cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted. Participants were asked to answer 37 questions, of which 24 specifically addressed parenting and caregiving duties. Results: Only few workplace-related support systems are currently available, and experiences of job-related disadvantages were frequently reported (27 of 47; 57.4%). Main barriers were a lack of flexible working hours and reliable childcare. Sociocultural norms and a lack of role models were perceived as detrimental. Conclusion: More support systems and a credible culture of family friendliness are needed to prevent jeopardizing the academic potential of young parents.

Workplace wellness programs for working mothers: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

This systematic review aimed to uncover the evidence and benefits of employers' commitment to delivering workplace wellness programs for working mothers.

METHODS

The articles published in PubMed, Embase, Scopus, and AgeLine-Medline databases between 2012 and 2021 were searched to evaluate the workplace wellness programs for working mothers with at least one resultant wellness or wellbeing (e.g., physical health, less stress, mental health, burnout, depression, smoking, bullying, alcohol consumption, overweight), work-life balance outcome, or job satisfaction.

RESULTS

Eight studies that met the criteria were retrieved from databases. They showed some effective workplace wellness programs that can reduce depression, stress, and burnout, improve mental health, healthy behaviors, work-family balance and work-life balance. Working mothers participating in a workplace wellness program generally gain some benefits; one of which is reduced stress typically related to childcare, economic, and personal health issues.

CONCLUSIONS

The implementation of workplace wellness programs for working mothers showed positive effects on their health problems and health costs. These eight studies revealed that workplace wellness programs specifically designed for working mothers can lead to time efficiency by holding the programs in or near the workplace and implementing them during the workdays. This greatly suits the conditions of many working mothers whose limited time and energy to balance the household, family and work tasks.

Aims and challenges of building national trainee networks in clinical microbiology and infectious disease disciplines

Trainees represent the medical practice of tomorrow. Interactions and collaborations at the early stage in career will strengthen the future of our specialties, clinical microbiology and infectious diseases. Trainee networks at the national level help access the best education and career opportunities. The aim of this collaborative white paper between the Trainee Association of European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) and four national trainee networks is to discuss the motivation for building such networks and offer guidance for their creation and sustainability even during a health crisis.

Future developments in training

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has demonstrated the value of highly skilled and extensively trained specialists in clinical microbiology (CM) and infectious diseases (ID). Training curricula in CM and ID must constantly evolve to prepare trainees for future pandemics and to allow trainees to reach their full clinical and academic potential.

OBJECTIVES

In this narrative review, we aim to outline necessary future adaptations in CM and ID training curricula and identify current structural barriers in training with the aim of discussing possibilities to address these shortcomings.

SOURCES

We reviewed literature from PubMed and included selected books and online publications as appropriate. There was no time constraint on the included publications.

CONTENT

Drawing from the lessons learnt during the pandemic, we summarize novel digital technologies relevant to CM and ID trainees and highlight interdisciplinary teamwork and networking skills as important competencies. We centre CM and ID training within the One Health framework and discuss gender inequalities and structural racism as barriers in both CM and ID training and patient care.

IMPLICATIONS

CM and ID trainees should receive training and support developing skills in novel digital technologies, leadership, interdisciplinary teamwork and networking. Equally important is the need for equity of opportunity, with firm commitments to end gender inequality and structural racism in CM and ID. Policy-makers and CM and ID societies should ensure that trainees are better equipped to achieve their professional goals and are better prepared for the challenges awaiting in their fields.

Survey dataset on the level of sustainable consumption of Malaysian households from the perspective of income and consumption expenditure

Unsustainable consumption promotes discouraging patterns of consumption with negative impacts on society. It also contributes to inequalities and poverty. Unsustainable patterns of production and consumption undermine development goals in terms of inefficiency and overconsumption. This research explores the level of sustainable consumption of Malaysian households from the perspective of income and consumption expenditure. The analysis is based on cross-sectional data obtained from questionnaires distributed to 635 Malaysian households in eight districts in Terengganu (urban and rural areas) using stratified random sampling. The findings show that the level of sustainable consumption expenditure of Muslim households in Terengganu is still low. Achieving sustainable consumption patterns is more technically and politically complex than changing production patterns because it raises important issues such as human values, equity and lifestyle choices.

Experiences of breast feeding at work for physicians, residents and medical students: a scoping review

OBJECTIVE

To review and summarise the available literature regarding breastfeeding experiences of medical students, residents and physicians.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Articles of any design, including non-peer reviewed data that examine the experiences of breast feeding of medical students, residents and staff physicians.

INFORMATION SOURCES

Ovid MEDLINE(R) and Epub Ahead of Print, In-Process & Other Non-Indexed Citations and Daily, Ovid EMBASE, Scopus and Web of Science.

RISK OF BIAS

All peer-reviewed studies underwent risk-of-bias assessment using relevant tools, depending on the study design.

INCLUDED STUDIES

We included 71 citations; 51 surveys, 3 narrative descriptions, 9 editorials or letters to the editor, and 3 reviews.

SYNTHESIS OF RESULTS

Included articles were heterogeneous with respect to their study design, target population and outcomes reported. Most articles had a high risk of bias. Only five articles reported the impact of an intervention.

DESCRIPTION OF EFFECT

Despite heterogeneity, the majority of articles described important barriers to breast feeding for physicians, residents and medical students. These barriers were similar across studies, and included inadequate and inaccessible space, time constraints and inflexible scheduling, and lack of colleague support. The consequences of these barriers included low milk supply and early discontinuation of breast feeding.

STRENGTHS AND LIMITATIONS OF EVIDENCE

Due to the observed heterogeneity of articles identified in this review, we are unable to assess trends in barriers or duration of breastfeeding over time.

INTERPRETATION

Interventions to overcome systemic and cultural barriers to breast feeding are needed to meet legal obligations of workplaces for physicians and trainees. These interventions should be formally evaluated using implementation science or quality improvement methods.

Factors Associated With Burnout and Stress in Trainee Physicians: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Importance

Evidence suggests that physicians experience high levels of burnout and stress and that trainee physicians are a particularly high-risk group. Multiple workplace- and non-workplace-related factors have been identified in trainee physicians, but it is unclear which factors are most important in association with burnout and stress. Better understanding of the most critical factors could help inform the development of targeted interventions to reduce burnout and stress.

Objective

To estimate the association between different stressors and burnout/stress among physicians engaged in standard postgraduate training (ie, trainee physicians).

Data Sources

Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and Cochrane Database of Systematic reviews from inception until April 30, 2019. Search terms included trainee, foundation year, registrar, resident, and intern.

Study Selection

Studies that reported associations between stressors and burnout/stress in trainee physicians.

Data Extraction and Synthesis

Two independent reviewers extracted the data and assessed the quality of the evidence. The main meta-analysis was followed by sensitivity analyses. All analyses were performed using random-effects models, and heterogeneity was quantified using the I2 statistic.

Main Outcome and Measures

The main outcome was the association between burnout/stress and workplace- or non-workplace-related factors reported as odds ratios (ORs) and their 95% CIs.

Results

Forty-eight studies were included in the meta-analysis (n = 36 266, median age, 29 years [range, 24.6-35.7 years]). One study did not specify participants' sex; of the total population, 18 781 participants (52%) were men. In particular, work demands of a trainee physician were associated with a nearly 3-fold increased odds for burnout/stress (OR, 2.84; 95% CI, 2.26-3.59), followed by concerns about patient care (OR, 2.35; 95% CI, 1.58-3.50), poor work environment (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.57-2.70), and poor work-life balance (OR, 1.93; 95% CI, 1.53-2.44). Perceived/reported poor mental or physical health (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.76-3.31), female sex (OR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.20-1.50), financial worries (OR, 1.35; 95% CI, 1.07-1.72), and low self-efficacy (OR, 2.13; 95% CI, 1.31-3.46) were associated with increased odds for burnout/stress, whereas younger age and a more junior grade were not significantly associated.

Conclusions and Relevance

The findings of this study suggest that the odds ratios for burnout and stress in trainee physicians are higher than those for work-related factors compared with nonmodifiable and non-work-related factors, such as age and grade. These findings support the need for organizational interventions to mitigate burnout in trainee physicians.

The Convergent Effect of International Collaboration between Young Leaders of Two Global Societies: Strengthening Microbiology Education and Training Practices Worldwide

There has never been a more critical time than the present for young microbiologists to engage in continuous postgraduate education. Next-generation microbiologists need to integrate several scientific disciplines in the early stages of their careers to keep up with the ever-changing nature of microbiology (advent of high-throughput sequencing platforms, bioinformatics, complex omic, culture and systems-biology approaches) and to ensure timely response to the current global health and biodiversity threats. Here we propose that international collaboration of young experts would help to address the challenges in microbiology training and serve as a communication bridge between senior and early career scientists. To establish a one-of-a-kind collaboration, the Trainee Association (TAE) of the European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases (ESCMID) and the Young Leaders Circle (YLC) of the American Society for Microbiology (ASM) have joined forces to adequately represent the interests of young members within the two largest societies in the field of microbiology. Through this partnership, both societies aim to promote continuous education for young scientists and the general public. Additionally, we intend to identify shared objectives and introduce joint activities that could lead to a beneficial exchange process for a long-lasting relationship. This partnership further contributes to advancing both the quality and quantity of education.

Current mentorship practices in the training of the next generation of clinical microbiology and infectious disease specialists: an international cross-sectional survey

The purpose of this study was to describe the current practice of mentorship in clinical microbiology (CM) and infectious diseases (ID) training, to identify possible areas for improvement and to assess the factors that are associated with satisfactory mentorship. An international cross-sectional survey containing 35 questions was answered by 317 trainees or specialists who recently completed clinical training. Overall, 179/317 (56%) trainees were satisfied with their mentors, ranging from 7/9 (78%) in non-European countries, 39/53 (74%) in Northern Europe, 13/22 (59%) in Eastern Europe, 61/110 (56%) in Western Europe, 37/76 (49%) in South-Western Europe to 22/47 (47%) in South-Eastern Europe. However, only 115/317 (36%) respondents stated that they were assigned an official mentor during their training. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, the satisfaction of trainees was significantly associated with having a mentor who was a career model (OR 6.4, 95%CI 3.5–11.7), gave constructive feedback on work performance (OR 3.3, 95%CI 1.8–6.2), and knew the family structure of the mentee (OR 5.5, 95%CI 3.0–10.1). If trainees felt overburdened, 70/317 (22%) felt that they could not talk to their mentors. Moreover, 67/317 (21%) stated that they could not talk to their mentor when unfairly treated and 59/317 (19%) felt uncertain. Training boards and authorities responsible for developing and monitoring CM&ID training programmes should invest in the development of high-quality mentorship programmes for trainees in order to contribute to the careers of the next generation of professionals.

How are trainees in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases supervised in Europe? An international cross-sectional questionnaire survey by the Trainee Association of ESCMID

The purpose of this study was to map the supervision of European trainees in clinical microbiology and infectious diseases during their training. An international cross-sectional questionnaire survey of 38 questions was distributed among trainees and recently graduated medical specialists from European countries. Descriptive analyses were performed on both the total group of respondents and regionally. In total, 393 respondents from 37 different countries were included. The median of overall satisfaction with the supervisor was 4 (interquartile range 3-4) on a Likert scale (range 1, not satisfied at all-5, completely satisfied). Overall, merely 34% of respondents received constructive feedback from their supervisor on a regularly basis, 36% could evaluate their own supervisor, and just 63% were evaluated on their skills using a written plan. Fifty-two percent did not receive the opportunity to do a part of the specialty training abroad and 63% received support from their supervisors to be involved in research projects or publishing papers. A considerable proportion of trainees, mainly in Southern and Eastern European regions, felt that they did not receive sufficient supervision. This information may be useful in the pursuit of harmonizing the quality of training, achieving a common curriculum, and identifying robust and objective criteria to coach and evaluate trainees in a proper way.

Mentor-mentee relationship in clinical microbiology

BACKGROUND

Clinical microbiology is a field in constant evolution, with increasing technological opportunities and a growing emphasis on human and social issues. Maintaining knowledge and skills and anticipating future changes is challenging both for laboratory managers and for all the co-workers. Training and succession preparation represents a unique opportunity to adapt/prepare future generations according to the evolutions of the field.

AIMS

The aim of this review is to provide to clinical microbiologists a reflection on ongoing technological and social changes in their field and a deepening of the central role of preparing future generations to these changes through a fruitful mentor-mentee relationship.

SOURCES

This narrative review relies on selected publications addressing mentor-mentee interactions in various academic fields, on interview with our colleagues and pairs, as well as on our personal experience.

CONTENT

From the qualities and aspects that emerged as necessary for a productive mentor-mentee interaction, we selected and discuss five of them for the mentor: the role and responsibility, the positioning, the vision, the scientific credibility, and the moral credibility, as well as five for the mentee: creativity, flexibility, energy, responsibility, and self evaluation.

IMPLICATIONS

This review emphasizes the importance of both the scientific and the ethical credibility of the mentor and the mentee as well as the importance of human and social values such as solidarity, equality, equity, respectfulness, and empathy, and might support mentor and mentee in the field of clinical microbiology and also in the field of infectious disease in their intent for a fruitful interaction.