ABSTRACT
CONTEXT.: Resident physicians face a higher rate of burnout and depression than the general population. Few studies have examined burnout and depression in Canadian laboratory medicine residents, and none during the COVID-19 pandemic. OBJECTIVE.: To identify the prevalence of burnout and depression, contributing factors, and the impact of COVID-19 in this population. DESIGN.: An electronic survey was distributed to Canadian laboratory medicine residents. Burnout was assessed using the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory. Depression was assessed using the Patient Health Questionnaire 9. RESULTS.: Seventy-nine responses were collected. The prevalence of burnout was 67% (50 of 79). The prevalence of depression was 47% (37 of 79). Modifiable factors significantly associated with burnout included career dissatisfaction, below average academic performance, lack of time off for illness, stress related to finances, lack of a peer or staff physician mentor, and a high level of fatigue. Modifiable factors significantly associated with depression further included a lack of access to wellness resources, lack of time off for leisure, and fewer hours of sleep. Fifty-five percent (41 of 74) of participants reported direct impacts to their personal circumstances by the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS.: Burnout and depression are significant issues affecting Canadian laboratory medicine residents. As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, we recommend the institution of flexible work arrangements, protected time for illness and leisure, ongoing evaluation of career satisfaction, formal and informal wellness programming with trainee input, formal mentorship programming, and a financial literacy curriculum as measures to improve trainee wellness.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT.: Physicians face a high rate of burnout, especially during the residency training period when trainees often experience a rapid increase in professional responsibilities and expectations. Effective burnout prevention programs for resident physicians are needed to address this significant issue. OBJECTIVE.: To examine the content, format, and effectiveness of resident burnout interventions published in the last 10 years. DESIGN.: The literature search was conducted on the MEDLINE database with the following keywords: internship, residency, health promotion, wellness, occupational stress, burnout, program evaluation, and program. Only studies published in English between 2010 and 2020 were included. Exclusion criteria were studies on interventions related to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, studies on duty hour restrictions, and studies without assessment of resident well-being postintervention. RESULTS.: Thirty studies were included, with 2 randomized controlled trials, 3 case-control studies, 20 pretest and posttest studies, and 5 case reports. Of the 23 studies that used a validated well-being assessment tool, 10 reported improvements postintervention. These effective burnout interventions were longitudinal and included wellness training (7 of 10), physical activities (4 of 10), healthy dietary habits (2 of 10), social activities (1 of 10), formal mentorship programs (1 of 10), and health checkups (1 of 10). Combinations of burnout interventions, low numbers of program participants with high dropout rates, lack of a control group, and lack of standardized well-being assessment are the limitations identified. CONCLUSIONS.: Longitudinal wellness training and other interventions appear effective in reducing resident burnout. However, the validity and generalizability of the results are limited by the study designs.