Professional and Psychological Influence of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Training of Medical Residents.

OBJECTIVES: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has profoundly impacted residency and fellowship training and education. However, how and to what extent the COVID-19 pandemic in Lebanon compromised the daily involvement of trainees on the clinical and ethical levels is currently unknown, which this study will shed light on. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional survey (30 questions) targeting medical residents delivering healthcare services in Lebanon. Residents from different specialties were included in the study to assess the effect of the pandemic on their education and the ethical obstacles they faced when dealing with patients. RESULTS: A total of 221 postgraduate medical students participated in our study. Results showed that about half of the residents (52.1%) were only able to do a basic physical examination rather than a full examination as a mandatory requirement in the residency curriculum. The majority (60%) agreed that the doctor-patient relationship is contravened. In addition, almost all residents suffered from fear and emotional distress that affected their education (83.7%). CONCLUSION: The findings of this study identify the effect of COVID-19 on residents' training, which affects treatment outcomes and greatly impacts the mental well-being of both healthcare workers and patients.

Exploring the reasons of unsuccessful attempts in examination during postgraduate clinical training.

Objective: To explore the reasons of unsuccessful attempt in examination during postgraduate clinical training in Pakistan. METHODS: The qualitative, exploratory study was conducted at the Allied Hospital, Faisalabad, Pakistan, from December 1, 2022, to February 25, 2023, and comprised postgraduate trainees from different departments who had at least one unsuccessful attempt in examination during their residency programme. Data was collected through direct interviews that were recorded. The data was subjected to thematic narrative analysis. RESULTS: Of the 14 participants, 10(71.4%) were males and 4(28.5%) were females. The maximum number of unsuccessful attempts were 7(7%), followed by 6(14%), 4(7%), 3(14%), 2(42%) and 1(14%). There were 3 main themes; personal factors, training factors, and exam factors. All the themes had subthemes. Conclusion: At the start of the residency programme, postgraduate trainees must be provided with adequate guidance, and a support system must be present during the programme to help them cope with the stress during training.

Psychotic-like experiences and associated factors in resident physicians: A Canadian cross-sectional study.

AIM: Medical residency training is associated with a range of sociodemographic, lifestyle and mental health factors that may confer higher risk for psychotic-like experiences (PLEs) in residents, yet little research has examined this question. Thus, we aimed to document the prevalence and associated factors of PLEs among resident physicians. METHODS: Physicians enrolled in residency programmes in the Province of Québec, Canada (four universities) were recruited in Fall 2022 via their programme coordinators and social media. They completed an online questionnaire assessing PLEs in the past 3 months (the 15-item Community Assessment of Psychic Experiences), as well as sociodemographic characteristics, lifestyle and mental health. Analyses included survey weights and gamma regressions. RESULTS: The sample included 502 residents (mean age, 27.6 years; 65.9% women). Only 1.3% (95% CI: 0.5%, 4.0%) of residents met the screening cut-off for psychotic disorder. Factors associated with higher scores for PLEs included racialised minority status (relative difference: +7.5%; 95% CI: +2.2%, +13.2%) and English versus French as preferred language (relative difference: +7.9% 95% CI: +3.1%, +12.9%), as well as each additional point on scales of depression (relative difference: +0.8%; 95% CI: +0.3%, +1.3%) and anxiety (relative difference: +1.3%; 95% CI: +0.8%, +1.7%). In secondary analyses, racialised minority status was associated with persecutory items, but not with other PLEs. Gender, residency programmes and lifestyle variables were not associated with PLEs. CONCLUSIONS: This study found low reports of PLEs in a sample of resident physicians. Associations of PLEs with minoritised status may reflect experiences of discrimination.

Time dedicated to physical activity among medical residents: are there differences based on gender or specialty type?

INTRODUCTION: Physical activity (PA) is associated with positive health outcomes such as prevention of chronic diseases, psychological well-being and improved work performance. Medical residents are subjected to sleep deprivation, extended work schedule and high burnout prevalence. These conditions may lead to the neglect of personal health and the restriction of time dedicated to PA. The objective of the present study was to analyze the time dedicated to PA of medical residents, comparing women vs men residents and surgical vs clinical residents. METHODS: It is a cross-sectional study performed in a Spanish third-level university hospital. All medical residents from our institution were invited to voluntarily participate in the study answering a web-based questionnaire on June 2022. Data regarding demographics, residency and PA practice was recorded. RESULTS: The response rate was 20.73% (114/550). The 32.5% of the residents considered themselves to be physically inactive and mean time dedicated to PA in a regular week was 3.62 ±â€¯2.22 h. Men residents dedicated more time to PA than women residents (4.23 ±â€¯2.42 h vs 3.14 ±â€¯1.95 h, p = 0.012) and surgical residents dedicated more time than clinical residents (4.33 ±â€¯2.36 h vs 3.23 ±â€¯2.05 h, p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: One third of the medical residents consider themself physically inactive. Women and clinical residents practice PA less time than men and surgical residents. Efforts should be made to encourage PA among residents, especially in women and non-surgeons.

The feedback dilemma in medical education: insights from medical residents' perspectives.

BACKGROUND: Feedback is a critical component of the learning process in a clinical setting. This study aims to explore medical residents' perspectives on feedback delivery and identify potential barriers to feedback-seeking in clinical training. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 180 medical residents across seventeen specialties. We employed the validated Residency Education Feedback Level Evaluation in Clinical Training (REFLECT) tool to assess residents' perspectives on their attitude toward feedback, quality of feedback, perceived importance, and reaction to feedback. Additionally, we explored barriers to feedback-seeking behavior among medical residents. RESULTS: The majority of medical residents held positive attitudes toward feedback. They agreed that feedback improves their clinical performance (77.7%), professional behavior (67.2%), and academic motivation (56.7%), while also influencing them to become a better specialist in their future career (72.8%). However, the study revealed critical deficiencies in the feedback process. Only 25.6% of residents reported receiving regular feedback and less than half reported that feedback was consistently delivered at suitable times and locations, was sufficiently clear or included actionable plans for improvement. A minority (32.2%) agreed that faculty had sufficient skills to deliver feedback effectively. Moreover, peer-to-peer feedback appeared to be a primary source of feedback among residents. Negative feedback, though necessary, often triggered feelings of stress, embarrassment, or humiliation. Notably, there were no significant differences in feedback perceptions among different specialties. The absence of a feedback-seeking culture emerged as a central barrier to feedback-seeking behavior in the clinical setting. CONCLUSIONS: Establishing shared expectations and promoting a culture of feedback-seeking could bridge the gap between residents' perceptions and faculty feedback delivery. Furthermore, recognizing the role of senior and peer residents as valuable feedback sources can contribute to more effective feedback processes in clinical training, ultimately benefiting resident development and patient care.

Understanding resident wellness: A path analysis of the clinical learning environment at three institutions.

PURPOSE: The clinical learning environment (CLE) affects resident physician well-being. This study assessed how aspects of the learning environment affected the level of resident job stress and burnout. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Three institutions surveyed residents assessing aspects of the CLE and well-being via anonymous survey in fall of 2020 during COVID. Psychological safety (PS) and perceived organizational support (POS) were used to capture the CLE, and the Mini-Z Scale was used to assess resident job stress and burnout. A total of 2,196 residents received a survey link; 889 responded (40% response rate). Path analysis explored both direct and indirect relationships between PS, POS, resident stress, and resident burnout. RESULTS: Both POS and PS had significant negative relationships with experiencing a great deal of job stress; the relationship between PS and stress was noticeably stronger than POS and stress (POS: B= -0.12, p=.025; PS: B= -0.37, p<.001). The relationship between stress and residents' level of burnout was also significant (B = 0.38, p<.001). The overall model explained 25% of the variance in resident burnout. CONCLUSIONS: Organizational support and psychological safety of the learning environment is associated with resident burnout. It is important for educational leaders to recognize and mitigate these factors.

Musculoskeletal pain among medical residents: role of workplace safety climate and sexual harassment.

BACKGROUND: Workplace factors are important predictors of occurrence of musculoskeletal pain among different occupational populations. In healthcare, a psychologically unsafe work environment can negatively affect the emotional, physical and psychological well-being of physicians. This study aimed to examine the relationship between workplace violence, sexual harassment and musculoskeletal pain among Egyptian physicians in their years of residency. METHODS: We distributed an online self-administered questionnaire to 101 residents working in various healthcare sectors in Egypt. It included sections on demographic data, working conditions, widespread pain index (WPI), pain interference short-form, workplace violence and harassment questionnaire, psychosocial safety climate questionnaire (PSC) and sexual harassment climate questionnaire. RESULTS: All residents had at least one painful site on the WPI (range 1-11). The mean WPI was 3.5 ± 2.4, and 39.6% satisfied the criteria of having widespread pain by having at least 4 pain sites. Widespread pain index showed a weak statistically significant negative correlation with workplace PSC score (rho = - 0.272, p = 0.006), and a statistically significant weak positive correlation with the calculated total abuse index (rho = 0.305, p = 0.002). Workplace violence and abuse, as measured by a calculated abuse index was the only significant predictors of widespread pain among residents. CONCLUSION: WPV was found to be a predictor of musculoskeletal pain among medical residents. Healthcare organizations need to address WPV by employing preventive strategies to minimize its hazardous effects and ensure a safe working environment for physicians.

The paradox of the resident experiencing depression: Higher depression, less favorable help-seeking outcome expectations, and lower help-seeking intentions.

BACKGROUND: Medical residents experiencing depression can cause life-threatening harm to themselves and their patients. Treatment is available, but many do not seek help. METHODS: The current set of three studies investigated whether depressive symptomatology in and of itself served as a help-seeking barrier-and whether expectations of help-seeking benefits provided insight into why this occurred. Nine waves of cross-sectional data were collected from medical residents across several different hospitals in the United States. RESULTS: There was a large negative association between levels of depressive symptomatology and help-seeking intentions (H1) in Studies 1 and 3. In Study 2, this association was significant for one of the two help-seeking measures. For all analyses, studies, and measures, there was a large negative association between residents' levels of depressive symptomatology and agreement that seeking help will lead to positive outcomes (H2). Likewise, there was a moderately large indirect effect for all analyses, studies, and measures such that the association between levels of depressive symptomatology and help-seeking intentions occurred through less favorable expectations of help-seeking benefits (H3). Lower agreement of the benefits associated with help-seeking explained between 43 and 65% of depressive symptomatology's negative association with help-seeking intentions across studies. CONCLUSIONS: The current findings indicate that depressive symptomatology itself represents a help-seeking barrier and underscore the importance of help-seeking expectations in explaining why this occurs. If future studies reveal a causal relationship between the perceived benefits of help-seeking and help-seeking intentions, then increasing such expectations could offer a potential path for increasing resident help-seeking.

It Takes a Village: An Interdisciplinary Approach to Preparing Internal Medicine Residents to Care for Patients at the Intersection of Women's Health, Gender-Affirming Care, and Health Disparities.

Objective: To create an interdisciplinary curriculum to teach key topics at the intersection of women's health, gender-affirming care, and health disparities to internal medicine (IM) residents. Materials and Methods: A core team of faculty from IM, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Surgery partnered with faculty and fellows from other disciplines and with community experts to design and deliver the curriculum. The resulting curriculum consisted of themed half-day modules, each consisting of three to four inter-related topics, updated and repeated on an ∼3-year cycle. Health equity was a focus of all topics. Module delivery used diverse interactive learning strategies. Modules have been presented to ∼175 residents annually, beginning in 2015. To assess the curriculum, we used formative evaluation methods, using primarily anonymous, electronic surveys, and collected quantitative and qualitative data. Most surveys assessed resident learning by quantifying residents' self-reported comfort with skills taught in the module pre- and postsession. Results: Of 131 residents who completed an evaluation in 2022/23, 121 (90%) "somewhat" or "strongly" agreed with their readiness to perform a range of skills taught in the module. In all previous years where pre- and postsurveys were used to evaluate modules, we observed a consistent meaningful increase in the proportion of residents reporting high levels of comfort with the material. Residents particularly valued interactive teaching methods, and direct learning from community members and peers. Conclusion: Our interdisciplinary curriculum was feasible, valued by trainees, and increased resident learning. The curriculum provides a template to address equity issues across a spectrum of women's and gender-affirming care conditions that can be used by other institutions in implementing similar curricula.

Tips for developing a coaching program in medical education.

This article provides structure to developing, implementing, and evaluating a successful coaching program that effectively meets the needs of learners. We highlight the benefits of coaching in medical education and recognize that many educators desiring to build coaching programs seek resources to guide this process. We align 12 tips with Kern's Six Steps for Curriculum Development and integrate theoretical frameworks from the literature to inform the process. Our tips include defining the reasons a coaching program is needed, learning from existing programs and prior literature, conducting a needs assessment of key stakeholders, identifying and obtaining resources, developing program goals, objectives, and approach, identifying coaching tools, recruiting and training coaches, orienting learners, and evaluating program outcomes for continuous program improvement. These tips can serve as a framework for initial program development as well as iterative program improvement.

Risk of positive screening for anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and night eating syndrome and associated risk factors in medical fellows in Northeastern Mexico: a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND: Eating disorders and food ingestion (EDs) are serious mental illnesses with a higher prevalence in young adults, with difficult diagnoses that cause serious morbidity and mortality problems. There is not much information about the risk of positive screening for EDs, specifically, anorexia nervosa (AN) and bulimia nervosa (BN) and night eating syndrome (NES) in undergraduate medical interns (UMI) and medical residents (MR) in Mexico. AIM: To determine the risk of AN, BN and NES and to determine the risk factors of such conditions such as age, body mass index (BMI) and gender of MR and UMI with AN/BN and NES at four private hospitals in northeastern Mexico. METHODS: A cross-sectional, descriptive, non-randomized survey in MR and UMI in four hospitals in Northeastern Mexico was conducted using an electronic questionnaire that included: informed consent signature, SCOFF questionnaire for AN and BN screening, NES questionnaire. Also, a survey on general sociodemographic data of each participant was included. Chi-square test and a logistic regression model were computed for analyses. RESULTS: The population included a total of 129 MR and UMI. It was observed that 48.8% were positive for AN or BN and 32.6% were positive for the NES. There was no difference between age, sex, BMI, or medical specialty (if they were MR); however, MR from the first year had a higher risk of AN or BN (OR 23.7, 95% CI 1.181-475.266). CONCLUSIONS: There was a higher risk of positive screening for AN or BN and NES in UMI and MR in our population. In the case of MR, those in first year have a higher risk of AN and BN. Timely diagnosis and treatment are mandatory in this population.

Eating disorders and food ingestion such as anorexia (AN) or bulimia (BN) nervosa and night eating syndrome (NES) are a group of mental illnesses that are frequently under diagnosed. Medical residents (MR) and undergraduate medical interns (UMI) are a high-risk population for such disorders due to their young age, stress environments, erratic eating patterns and long working hours. The aim of this study was to determine the risk of AN, BN and NES and to determine the risk factors of such conditions. One hundred twenty-nine UMI and MR were studied and showed that 48.8% were positive for AN or BN and 32.6% were positive for NES. MR in the first year of medical residency had a higher risk. Timely diagnosis and treatment are mandatory in this population.

Development and validation of the clinical information literacy questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Clinical Information Literacy (CIL) seems to be a prerequisite for physicians to implement Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) effectively. This study endeavors to develop and validate a CIL questionnaire for medical residents of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study employs sequential-exploratory mixed methods in 2019. The participants were 200 medical residents in different specialties; they are selected through the convenience sampling method. In the first (qualitative) phase, an early CIL questionnaire was designed by reviewing literature and performing complementary interviews with health professionals. In the second (validation) phase, the questionnaire's face validity and content validity were confirmed. In the third (quantitative) phase, the construct validity was examined via Item-Response Theory (IRT) model, and the factor loading was computed. The gathered data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, two-way ANOVA, as well as two-parameter IRT model in R software. RESULTS: In the qualitative phase, the concept of CIL is initially described in seven main categories and 22 subcategories, and the items were formulated. An initial 125-item questionnaire was analyzed by the research team, leading to a 43-item. Through the content validity and face validity examination, we removed 11 and 4 items in the Content Validity Ratio (CVR) and Content Validity Index (CVI), respectively. Throughout the face validity analysis, none of the items were removed. According to the construct validity results, difficulty coefficient, discriminant coefficient, and factor loading were confirmed, most of the other questions achieved a proper factor loading value that is higher than 0.30, and a value of 0.66 was achieved for the reliability via the Kuder-Richardson method. Ultimately, the real-assessment 28-item CIL questionnaire was developed with four components. CONCLUSIONS: The CIL questionnaire could be employed to examine the actual CIL basic knowledge. Because of using the real-assessment approach rather than self-assessment in the design, it can be claimed that this instrument can provide a more accurate assessment of the information literacy status of medical residents. This valid questionnaire is used to measure and train the skills needed by healthcare professionals in the effective implementation of EBM.

Identifying and prioritizing the stressors of obstetrics and gynecology residents.

BACKGROUND: Studies have shown that the obstetrics and gynecology residents face severe burnout and a large number of stressors, and excessive stress could adversely affect performance and quality of patient care. Thus, the current study attempts to identify and prioritize the stressors of obstetrics and gynecology residents at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 62 residents and faculty members in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2022. Respondents were selected by census method. The stressors of obstetrics and gynecology residents were investigated using a researcher-made, 37-item questionnaire. The questionnaire was prepared based on a literature review and respondents' opinions, then its validity and reliability were confirmed. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 20, non-parametric Friedman's test, and descriptive statistics methods. RESULT: This study included 46 respondents (74%), 16 faculty members, and 30 residents, who were asked to rate each stressor of the given questionnaire. The residents and their teachers believed that the main stressors were heavy workloads, lack of personal time, long shifts, financial problems, sleep deprivation, and compassion fatigue. Insufficient study time, study workload, and inappropriate assessment systems for residents were among the high-priority stressors, according to the residents. However, the faculty members reported medical errors, unreasonable expectations from residents, and residents' multiple responsibilities as high-priority stressors. According to the Friedman's test, there was a significant difference in rates received from both the faculty members and medical residents (P value <0/001). CONCLUSION: The stressors due to the nature of obstetrics and gynecology, medical care, residency training, and medical resident assessment are the highest priority. The findings of this study could be beneficial to the officials in residency training programs to take the necessary corrective actions.

Factors Influencing Specialty and Training Center Choices Among Saudi Medical Residents.

AIM: This cross-sectional study aims to identify and quantify the factors influencing Saudi medical residents in selecting their desired specialty and primary training center, while examining the associations between these factors. METHODS: The study received approval from an institutional ethical committee at King Abdulaziz University. An electronic questionnaire was designed and validated via content, face validity, and the Content Validity Index. The sample size was calculated based on a 95% CI and a 5% margin of error. The study targeted all current residents in the current Saudi Specialty Certificate Programs. Descriptive statistics summarized demographic characteristics, training-related information, and factors influencing the selection of a specialty and training center. Fisher's exact test and Chi-square tests were employed for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 387 respondents completed the survey, with a 32.3% response rate. The majority of respondents were male (n = 232, 59.9%), and the majority were also married (n = 67.2%), with internal medicine (n = 92, 23.8%) and family medicine (n = 74, 19.1%) being the most prevalent specialties. Notably, 89.4% (n = 346) reported matching into their first-choice specialty, and 67.2% (n = 260) into their first-choice training center. Furthermore, 90.2% (n = 349) had prior training (elective/internship) in their chosen specialty, and 63% (n = 244) had previous training (elective/internship) at their primary training center. Prior exposure to both specialty and center significantly resulted in them being the resident's top choice (p < 0.01). Multiple factors influencing the choice of either the specialty or the center were found to have statistically significant associations with the gender, specialty, residency level, sector of the training center, and timing of the specialty decision (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study reveals the substantial influence of early experiences on Saudi medical residents' specialty and training center choices. It also uncovers gender disparities and variations in the influence of specialty-related factors. Future research with larger and more diverse samples is recommended to gain a deeper understanding of the multifactorial decision-making processes, enabling the development of strategies to better meet the evolving needs and preferences of healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia.

Improving Patient Health Literacy During Telehealth Visits Through Remote Teach-Back Methods Training for Family Medicine Residents: Pilot 2-Arm Cluster, Nonrandomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: As telemedicine plays an increasing role in health care delivery, providers are expected to receive adequate training to effectively communicate with patients during telemedicine encounters. Teach-back is an approach that verifies patients' understanding of the health care information provided by health care professionals. Including patients in the design and development of teach-back training content for providers can result in more relevant training content. However, only a limited number of studies embrace patient engagement in this capacity, and none for remote care settings. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to design and evaluate the feasibility of patient-centered, telehealth-focused teach-back training for family medicine residents to promote the use of teach-back during remote visits. METHODS: We codeveloped the POTENTIAL (Platform to Enhance Teach-Back Methods in Virtual Care Visits) curriculum for medical residents to promote teach-back during remote visits. A patient participated in the development of the workshop's videos and in a patient-provider panel about teach-back. We conducted a pilot, 2-arm cluster, nonrandomized controlled trial. Family medicine residents at the intervention site (n=12) received didactic and simulation-based training in addition to weekly cues-to-action. Assessment included pre- and postsurveys, observations of residents, and interviews with patients and providers. To assess differences between pre- and postintervention scores among the intervention group, chi-square and 1-tailed t tests were used. A total of 4 difference-in-difference models were constructed to evaluate prepost differences between intervention and control groups for each of the following outcomes: familiarity with teach-back, importance of teach-back, confidence in teach-back ability, and ease of use of teach-back. RESULTS: Medical residents highly rated their experience of the teach-back training sessions (mean 8.6/10). Most residents (9/12, 75%) used plain language during training simulations, and over half asked the role-playing patient to use their own words to explain what they were told during the encounter. Postintervention, there was an increase in residents' confidence in their ability to use teach-back (mean 7.33 vs 7.83; P=.04), but there was no statistically significant difference in familiarity with, perception of importance, or ease of use of teach-back. None of the difference-in-difference models were statistically significant. The main barrier to practicing teach-back was time constraints. CONCLUSIONS: This study highlights ways to effectively integrate best-practice training in telehealth teach-back skills into a medical residency program. At the same time, this pilot study points to important opportunities for improvement for similar interventions in future larger-scale implementation efforts, as well as ways to mitigate providers' concerns or barriers to incorporating teach-back in their practice. Teach-back can impact remote practice by increasing providers' ability to actively engage and empower patients by using the features (whiteboards, chat rooms, and mini-views) of their remote platform.

Consideraciones bioéticas para la investigación sobre los programas de residencias médicas / Consideracions bioètiques per a la investigació sobre els programes de residències mediques / Bioethical considerations for research on medical residents

El presente artículo argumenta que es necesaria la investigación sobre los programas de residencias médicas para mejorar el entorno laboral y académico que viven los médicos y médicas en su formación como especialistas. Por lo que se proponen algunas consideraciones para garantizar una investigación ética. Para ello, el artículo sigue la estructura de dos premisas y una conclusión, donde cada premisa se fundamenta analíticamente. La primera premisa es que los factores estructurales de los programas de residencias médicas conducen a una condición de vulnerabilidad, se sustenta la primera premisa al explorar los factores estructurales que contribuyen a su vulnerabilidad desde el análisis del contexto mexicano y el marco teórico de la interseccionalidad. Así, se presentan algunas de las características que se entrecruzan y determinan la forma en la que los y las residentes experimentan en sus espacios sociales y ambientes de desarrollo. La segunda premisa es que la investigación de un grupo vulnerable conduce al desarrollo de estrategias para el cambio. El artículo reconoce la necesidad de investigar y desarrollar intervenciones para los grupos sociales vulnerables con el fin de mejorar su situación y proporcionar un entorno más seguro.(AU)

L'article actual argumenta que és necessària la investigació sobre els programes de residències mèdiques per millorar l'entorn laboral i acadèmic que viuen els metges en la seva formació com a especialistes. Per això, es proposen algunes consideracions per garantir una investigació ètica. L'article segueix l'estructura de dues premisses i una conclusió, on cada premissa es fonamenta analíticament. La primera premissa és que els factors estructurals dels programes de residències mèdiques porten a una condició de vulnerabilitat. Aquesta primera premissa es fonamenta explorant els factors estructurals que contribueixen a la seva vulnerabilitat des de l'anàlisi del context mexicà i el marc teòric de la interseccionalitat. Així, es presenten algunes de les característiques que es creuen i determinen la forma en què els residents experimenten en els seus espais socials i entorns de desenvolupament. La segona premissa és que la investigació d'un grup vulnerable condueix al desenvolupament d'estratègies per al canvi. L'article reconeix la necessitat d'investigar i desenvolupar intervencions per als grups socials vulnerables amb l'objectiu de millorar la seva situació i proporcionar un entorn més segur.(AU)

This paper argues that research on medical residency programs is necessary to improve the work and academic environment that physicians experience in their training as specialists. Therefore, some considerations are proposed to ensure ethical research. on medical residents. For this purpose, the paper follows the structure of two premises and a conclusion, where each premise is analytically supported. The first premise is that the structural factors of medical residency programs lead to a condition of vulnerability. The first premise is supported by exploring the structural factors that contribute to their vulnerability from the analysis ofthe Mexican context and the theoretical framework of intersectionality. Thus, some of the characteristics that intersect and determine the way in which residents experience their social spaces and development environments are presented. The second premiseis that researching a vulnerable group leads to the development of strategies for change. The article recognizes the need to research and develop interventions for vulnerable social groups to improve their situation and provide a safer environment.(AU)

Three-year COVID-19 and flu vaccinations among medical residents in a tertiary hospital in Italy: The threat of acceptance decline in seasonal campaigns.

The COVID-19 vaccination campaign in Italy started in December 2020, and, due to the Omicron variant's emergence, a second booster dose was recommended for high-risk individuals and healthcare workers from July 2022. The aim of the study was to evaluate the vaccination coverages for the COVID-19 second booster dose and to identify predictors of its acceptance within the population of medical residents (MRs) of the Fondazione Policlinico Universitario "A. Gemelli" IRCCS (FPG) University Hospital. The study was conducted at FPG from October 4th to December 21st, 2022, and COVID-19 second booster dose and influenza vaccines were administered. The study analyzed collected data and conducted multivariate logistic regressions to explore potential predictors of vaccination adherence. The analyses performed were compared with the sample enrolled in FPG residency programs at the start of the COVID-19 vaccination campaign. 1968 MRs were involved in the 2022-2023 vaccination campaign (mean age 28.97, SD 3.44), and the second booster dose of COVID-19 vaccination coverage was low (18.80%). Almost all participants opted for co-administration of COVID-19 and influenza vaccinations, leading to a similar rate of influenza vaccination coverage (16.26%). Being a frontline resident, meaning a direct involvement in managing COVID-19 patients and vaccination campaigns, was the main predictor of vaccination adherence (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.25-2.17). The dropping in influenza vaccination coverage in 2022-2023 and the low adherence to COVID-19 second booster dose among young physicians is concerning, calling for tailored vaccination campaigns and interventions.

Assessment of Resident and AI Chatbot Performance on the University of Toronto Family Medicine Residency Progress Test: Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Large language model (LLM)-based chatbots are evolving at an unprecedented pace with the release of ChatGPT, specifically GPT-3.5, and its successor, GPT-4. Their capabilities in general-purpose tasks and language generation have advanced to the point of performing excellently on various educational examination benchmarks, including medical knowledge tests. Comparing the performance of these 2 LLM models to that of Family Medicine residents on a multiple-choice medical knowledge test can provide insights into their potential as medical education tools. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to quantitatively and qualitatively compare the performance of GPT-3.5, GPT-4, and Family Medicine residents in a multiple-choice medical knowledge test appropriate for the level of a Family Medicine resident. METHODS: An official University of Toronto Department of Family and Community Medicine Progress Test consisting of multiple-choice questions was inputted into GPT-3.5 and GPT-4. The artificial intelligence chatbot's responses were manually reviewed to determine the selected answer, response length, response time, provision of a rationale for the outputted response, and the root cause of all incorrect responses (classified into arithmetic, logical, and information errors). The performance of the artificial intelligence chatbots were compared against a cohort of Family Medicine residents who concurrently attempted the test. RESULTS: GPT-4 performed significantly better compared to GPT-3.5 (difference 25.0%, 95% CI 16.3%-32.8%; McNemar test: P<.001); it correctly answered 89/108 (82.4%) questions, while GPT-3.5 answered 62/108 (57.4%) questions correctly. Further, GPT-4 scored higher across all 11 categories of Family Medicine knowledge. In 86.1% (n=93) of the responses, GPT-4 provided a rationale for why other multiple-choice options were not chosen compared to the 16.7% (n=18) achieved by GPT-3.5. Qualitatively, for both GPT-3.5 and GPT-4 responses, logical errors were the most common, while arithmetic errors were the least common. The average performance of Family Medicine residents was 56.9% (95% CI 56.2%-57.6%). The performance of GPT-3.5 was similar to that of the average Family Medicine resident (P=.16), while the performance of GPT-4 exceeded that of the top-performing Family Medicine resident (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: GPT-4 significantly outperforms both GPT-3.5 and Family Medicine residents on a multiple-choice medical knowledge test designed for Family Medicine residents. GPT-4 provides a logical rationale for its response choice, ruling out other answer choices efficiently and with concise justification. Its high degree of accuracy and advanced reasoning capabilities facilitate its potential applications in medical education, including the creation of exam questions and scenarios as well as serving as a resource for medical knowledge or information on community services.

Psychological distress among early medical residents: A 2-year longitudinal cohort study over seven years in Japan.

BACKGROUND: Early medical residents are expected to have a higher prevalence of burnout due to physical and psychological stressors. However psychological distress associated with burnout has not been adequately investigated in a longitudinal manner. We therefore examined the longitudinal trajectory of depression and its associated factors among early medical residents. METHODS: In this cohort study, medical residents (n = 215) who started rotation at the University of Yamanashi Hospital during 2012 to 2018 were recruited and asked to complete the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire (BJSQ), Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD), Brief Scale for Coping Profile (BSCP) and Athens Insomnia Scale (AIS) at the time of exit from each clinical department for up to two years over seven years. Factors associated with the CES-D scores were statistically explored, with a cutoff score of 16 to denote depression. RESULTS: The CES-D was completed by 205 residents. The average CES-D score was 10.3 ± 8.0 and the scores were lower in the 2nd versus 1st year of residency (11.3 ± 6.7 versus 9.2 ± 7.0). Multiple regression analysis of BJSQ/BSCP/AIS on CES-D revealed that insomnia had a significant impact on the CES-D scores. Apart from insomnia, avoidance and suppression and peer support had significant effects. Resilient residents, who showed the maximum CES-D score of under 16 consistently throughout the residency, was better in terms of changing a point of view, active solution and changing mood. Women were more likely to express emotions to others, while they reported more job control in the first year. CONCLUSIONS: Our results have high clinical relevance to challenge psychological burnout among early medical residents, offering some possible clues for prevention such as reduced burden, more flexibility during the first year and strengthening coworker support. Insomnia exerted moderate to strong effects on depression and monitoring of sleep appears indispensable in this specific population.

Mujer y urología: ¿cuál es la situación en España? / Women in urology: What is their current situation in Spain?

Objetivo Analizar la situación actual de las mujeres en la especialidad de Urología en España. Material y métodos Estudio descriptivo a partir de los resultados de una encuesta electrónica remitida entre febrero y abril de 2020 a través de la base de datos del grupo de Residentes y Jóvenes Urólogos (RAEU) de la Asociación Española de Urología (AEU). Se analizaron las características demográficas de la encuesta y los resultados de la misma. Resultados Se obtuvieron 257 respuestas, correspondientes a 210 mujeres (81,71%) y 47 hombres (18,29%) procedentes de 111 hospitales en total. Se obtuvieron diferencias estadísticamente significativas (p<0,001), con una mayor proporción de hombres en todas las categorías, excepto en el grupo de adjuntas y adjuntos jóvenes (29-39años; p=0,789) y en el de residentes mujeres frente a residentes hombres (p=0,814). En los hospitales con unidades subespecializadas se encontró un mayor número de hombres en todas, excepto en la unidad de suelo pélvico, en la que no se observó una diferencia estadísticamente significativa (p=0,06). Respecto a cargos de responsabilidad, en solo 7 de 111 hospitales había jefas de servicio. Conclusiones La presencia de las mujeres en la especialidad de Urología es cada vez mayor, debido mayoritariamente a las generaciones más jóvenes. Sin embargo, el acceso de estas mujeres a puestos de relevancia es anecdótica (AU)

Objective To analyze the current state of women in urology in Spain. Material and methods Descriptive study based on the results of an online survey sent between February and April 2020 through the database of the Residents and Young Urologists group (RAEU) of the Spanish Association of Urology (AEU). Demographic characteristics of the survey and its results were analyzed. Results In total, 257 responses were obtained from 210 women (81.71%) and 47 men (18.29%) belonging to 111 hospitals. Statistically significant differences were observed (P<.001) with a higher proportion of men in all categories except for the group of young female and male attendings (29-39 years, P=.789), and the group of female residents against male residents (P=.814). The number of men was higher in hospitals with subspecialty units except for the Pelvic Floor Unit, where no statistically significant difference was observed (P=.06). Regarding positions of responsibility, only 7 out of 111 hospitals had female department chiefs. Conclusions Women's representation in urology is increasing, mainly due to the younger generations. However, the access of these women to relevant positions is anecdotal (AU)