Comparing Resident and Program Director Perspectives on Wellness Curricula: A CERA Study

Introduction

Mitigating the stress of graduate medical education has been the focus of residency leadership in the United States. This study examined family medicine (FM) resident and program director (PD) satisfaction with current wellness curricula, including perceptions of availability of resources and emphasis on well-being.

Methods

The Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance administered online surveys to PDs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, US-based FM residencies, and resident American Academy of Family Physicians members from April to May 2021. The present study included an assessment of wellness curriculum implementation using the Wellness Element Count (WEC), a satisfaction rating with wellness programming, and a single question assessing perceived changes in emphasis on wellness during COVID-19.

Results

A total of 242 residents (5% response rate) and 263 PDs (42% response rate) completed the survey. Residents reported lower WEC indicators compared to PDs (P<.001). Overall, 67.8% of resident respondents were satisfied with their program's wellness efforts, compared to 89.3% of PDs ( P<.001). Perceived emphasis on wellness curricula in the program was associated with greater resident satisfaction (OR=2.75, P<.05); less emphasis on wellness was associated with less resident satisfaction (OR=0.15, P<.001).

Conclusions

Residents reported overall lower perceived availability and satisfaction with program wellness efforts compared to PDs, suggesting a disparity between perspectives. Ongoing efforts should be directed at encouraging use of available wellness resources and supporting a culture of well-being.

Wellness in the Time of COVID: A CERA Follow-up Survey of Program Directors

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Residency program directors (PDs) are tasked with supporting resident well-being, and a 2018-2019 CERA survey found PDs to be generally satisfied with residency wellness curricula. However, less is known about graduate medical education wellness programming following the unprecedented social and public health stressors of 2020. This study aimed to evaluate PDs' satisfaction with wellness programming and perceived changes in wellness program implementation in the context of these factors.

METHODS

An online survey was administered by CERA to the program directors of all ACGME-accredited, US-based family medicine residencies. The survey replicated a 2018 CERA survey and assessed PDs' satisfaction with the wellness curriculum and which wellness curricular elements were currently implemented in the residency.

RESULTS

The survey was completed by 263 PDs (42% response rate). There was no difference in total number of wellness curricular elements reported in programs in 2021 (M=9.85) vs 2018 (M=9.57; P=.377). Compared to the 2018 survey, PDs reported increased assessment of resident burnout (P=.02), increased scheduled time for personal needs (P=.002), but decreased scheduled time for interpersonal connection (P=.017). Most PDs reported increased emphasis on wellness and the same or increased access to wellness resources compared to 2018 χ2 indicated no significant difference in PD satisfaction with wellness programming between the two years (P=.84).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite significant social and public health challenges to curriculum delivery, family medicine PDs did not perceive significant reductions in wellness programming, and in fact reported increases in some specific curricular elements and an overall increased emphasis on well-being. Future studies should explore the factors that facilitate and impede the implementation of wellness programming.

A Longitudinal Study of Burnout and Well-being in Family Medicine Resident Physicians

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) core competencies for residency learning and work environment standards acknowledge high levels of burnout and depression in resident physicians and the critical importance of physician well-being to patient care and effective education. The objective of this study was to follow family medicine resident physicians' well-being throughout residency.

METHODS

Family medicine resident physicians from 12 programs completed validated assessments (burnout, depression, perceived stress, satisfaction with life, positive and negative affect, emotional intelligence, mindfulness, gratitude) at residency start, second year start, and graduation. Resident physicians were from the 2011, 2012, and 2013 graduating classes (N=158).

RESULTS

Two indicators of burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization) increased between the start of residency and the start of the second year, remaining elevated at graduation. Emotional intelligence was lower at graduation than at the start of residency. In contrast, other measures of well-being (stress, life satisfaction, affect) improved during the second and third years. Depression, mindfulness, and gratitude remained stable. Increased levels of burnout risk at graduation were negatively associated with emotional intelligence, mindfulness, and gratitude.

CONCLUSIONS

While the stressful impact of residency is transitory for some measures of well-being, that is not the case for burnout or emotional intelligence. Burnout levels peak after the first year of residency and remain high through graduation. Targeted interventions to identify and address burnout in residency need to be evaluated in future studies.

Well-being in Residency: Impact of an Online Physician Well-being Course on Resiliency and Burnout in Incoming Residents

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Wellness in residency has come to the forefront of national graduate medical education initiatives. Exponential growth in knowledge and skill development occurs under immense pressures, with physical, mental, and emotional stressors putting residents at burnout risk. The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires programs to attend to resident wellness, providing the structure, environment, and resources to address burnout. This study's purpose was to evaluate the Andrew Weil Center for Integrative Medicine online Physician Well-being Course (PWC) with incoming postgraduate year-1 (PGY-1) residents in multiple residencies across a single health care system. The PWC teaches the learner strategies for building resilience, managing stress, identifying signs of burnout, and mindfulness practices including a self-selected daily 10-minute resiliency activity (meditation, gratitude journaling, and finding meaning journaling) for 14 days.

METHODS

Incoming PGY-1 residents were enrolled in PWC 1 month prior to 2018 orientation. Validated measures of resiliency, burnout and gratitude were completed pre- and postcourse. We assessed pre/postcourse changes with paired t tests. We asked participants whether they incorporated any wellness behavior changes postcourse.

RESULTS

Almost two-thirds of the incoming trainees completed the course (n=53/87, 61%). We found significant improvements (P&lt;.05) for resiliency and burnout (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization). Gratitude did not change. The personal accomplishment burnout scale declined. The most frequently reported wellness behaviors were in the area of sleep, exercise, and diet.

CONCLUSIONS

Resiliency, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization improved, personal accomplishment declined, while gratitude remained the same. This project demonstrates an accessible and scalable approach to teaching well-being to incoming residents.

Getting It Off the Ground: Key Factors Associated With Implementation of Wellness Programs

Background and Objectives: Many residency programs are developing resident wellness curricula to improve resident well-being and to meet Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education guidelines. However, there is limited guidance on preferred curricular components and implementation. We sought to identify how specific driving factors (eg, having an identified wellness champion with a budget and protected time to develop wellness programs) impact implementation of essential elements of a resident wellness curriculum. Methods: We surveyed 608 family medicine residency program directors (PDs) in 2018-2019 on available resources for wellness programs, essential wellness elements being implemented, and satisfaction with wellness programming; 251 PDs provided complete responses (42.5% response rate). Linear and logistic regressions were conducted for main analyses. Results: Having an identified wellness champion, protected time, and dedicated budget for wellness were associated with greater implementation of wellness programs and PD satisfaction with wellness programming; of these, funding had the strongest association. Larger programs were implementing more wellness program components. Program setting had no association with implementation. Conclusions: PDs in programs allocating money and/or faculty time can expect more wellness programming and greater satisfaction with how resident well-being is addressed.

Educating Physicians in Family Medicine Residencies About Nonpharmacologic Approaches to Pain:

Background and Objectives: Opioid misuse is at an all-time crisis level, and nationally enhanced resident and clinician education on chronic pain management is in demand. To date, broad-reaching, scalable, integrative pain management educational interventions have not been evaluated for effectiveness on learner knowledge or attitudes toward chronic pain management. Methods: An 11-hour integrative pain management (IPM) online course was evaluated for effect on resident and faculty attitudes toward and knowledge about chronic pain. Participants were recruited from family medicine residencies participating in the integrative medicine in residency program. Twenty-two residencies participated, with 11 receiving the course and 11 serving as a control group. Evaluation included pre/post medical knowledge and validated measures of attitude toward pain patients, self-efficacy for nondrug therapies, burnout, and compassion. Results: Forty-three participants (34.4%) completed the course. The intervention group (n=50), who received the course, improved significantly (P&lt;.05) in medical knowledge, attitude toward pain patients, and self-efficacy to prescribe nondrug therapies while the control group (n=54) showed no improvement. There was no effect on burnout or compassion for either group. The course was positively evaluated, with 83%-94% rating the course content and delivery very high. All participants responded that they would incorporate course information into practice, and almost all thought what they learned in the course would improve patient care (98%). Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of an online IPM course as an effective and scalable intervention for residents and primary care providers in response to the current opioid crisis and need for better management of chronic pain. Future directions include testing scalability in formats that lead to improved completion rates, implementation in nonacademic settings, and evaluation of clinical outcomes such as decreased opioid prescribing.

The Integrative Psychiatry Curriculum: Development of an Innovative Model

The Integrative Psychiatry Curriculum (IPC) was developed to train psychiatry residents and fellows to apply an Integrative Medicine (IM) approach for patients presenting with psychiatric disorders. Launched in 2015, IPC includes interactive online courses, in-person experiential sessions, and a clinical component with supervision. Twenty-one residents and fellows have completed the curriculum. The purpose of the IPC is 2-fold: to enhance patient wellness through training residents and fellows in evidence-based whole-person care and to improve physician well-being through enhanced stress management and self-awareness utilizing the practice of mind-body skills within a supportive small group setting. Course participants are trained in a broad range of prevention and treatment options and learn about their evidence base; they then practice incorporating IM into diagnosis and treatment plans through supervised clinical experience. This article describes the development of IPC and its elements. Efforts are underway to further develop and standardize the offerings and increase the portability of the course, making it easier for Psychiatry training programs with limited faculty expertise in IM to provide the curriculum for residents and fellows. To reach the goal of disseminating such a curriculum for integrative psychiatry, further funding and collaboration with multiple residency training programs is needed.

Assessing Integrative Psychiatry Curriculum Needs

BACKGROUND

Research on incorporating integrative medicine (IM) into medical training is increasing. Programs and organizations around IM have been established, but there has not previously been a needs assessment focused on integrating IM into psychiatry training.

OBJECTIVES

The results of a needs assessment of training directors and faculty, focused on interest and priorities for developing an IM curriculum for psychiatry training programs, are described.

METHODS

Psychiatry Training Directors and faculty were invited to participate in a detailed electronic survey. Areas of inquiry included (a) IM content areas to include in training; (b) IM approaches to specific medical conditions; (c) existing IM content; (d) importance, interest, and strategies for IM training; and (e) availability of wellness programs for trainees.

RESULTS

Thirty-six respondents from psychiatry training programs completed the survey. Of the training programs represented by the respondents, 50% indicated that they currently had IM content in their curriculum; only 11.8% of them rated their programs' existing IM content as sufficient. Content areas rated most highly for inclusion in a psychiatry IM curriculum included sleep health, motivational interviewing, and self-care. Respondents indicated incorporating IM into the psychiatry training curriculum (47%) or as an elective (44%) as the desired implementation strategy, with experiential onsite activities demonstrating IM topics (67%) and online modules supplemented by local faculty (58%) as the 2 most desirable learning formats. Significant barriers identified were time constraints, lack of faculty expertise in IM, current lack of curricular requirements for IM competencies, and budgetary limitations.

CONCLUSION

Responses to the survey suggest that faculty need support and additional education in implementing IM training. A standardized, online curriculum could help meet that need. Our results also indicate that wellness programs for residents are currently inadequate; bolstering them could help address burnout and increase the knowledge psychiatrists have of IM modalities. The types of institutions represented by faculty interested in further developing IM offerings vary considerably, as do their current efforts to integrate IM into training programs.

[Transdural spinal cord herniation: A rare cause of Brown-Sequard syndrome]

We report a rare case of thoracic spinal cord herniation due to a defect of the anterior dura mater causing a progressive myelopathy. This case, illustrated by magnetic resonance and surgical imageries, will make the reader aware of this entity and then prevent misdiagnosis.

Copper deficiency as cause of unexplained hematologic and neurologic deficits in patient with prior gastrointestinal surgery

Copper is a trace mineral essential to hematopoiesis and to the structure and function of the nervous system. Copper deficiency is a rare cause of anemia, leukopenia, and myeloneuropathy, but should be considered in the differential diagnosis in a patient with prior gastrointestinal surgery. We report the case of a 51-year-old woman admitted for nonspecific neurologic symptoms ultimately found to be due to copper malabsorption.

Counselors' and clients' ethnic similarity and therapeutic alliance in time-limited outcomes of counseling

51 pairs of clients and counselors at a Southwestern university counseling and research training clinic were assessed for ethnic similarities in relation to the therapeutic alliance and counseling outcomes in 6 sessions of counseling. Analysis showed after 6 sessions symptom distress was reduced. Also, counselors and clients who had similar ethnicity had significantly more positive counseling outcomes than ethnically dissimilar pairings, but ethnic similarity was not related to the nature of the therapeutic alliance and therapeutic alliance was not a correlate of counseling outcomes.