RESUMEN
Introduction: Residency training is associated with stress and burnout that can contribute to poor mental health. However, residents are less likely to utilize mental health services due to perceived barriers such as lack of time and concerns about confidentiality, among others.1 There is a need to promote help-seeking behavior and improve access to mental health services during residency training. Methods: In order to decrease barriers to seeking mental health care and promote well-being among residents, the University of California Irvine Family Medicine Residency Program (UCI FMRP) implemented a program that included confidential, regular, mental health check-ins between residents and a psychiatrist. We gathered data on help-seeking behavior from an internally conducted electronic survey of 29 residents regarding perceived barriers to seeking mental health care in June, 2020. Results: The internal survey results from 24 respondents out of 29 residents demonstrated that the program supported help-seeking behavior among the residents, with 33% of the residents requesting additional sessions with the psychiatrist and another 13% seeking external mental health resources. Conclusion: Providing additional, confidential, on-site support may be one method of decreasing stigma, increasing access to care, and normalizing conversations around mental health in residency.
RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: Burnout is a state of mental and physical exhaustion related to work or care giving activities. Burnout during residency training has gained significant attention secondary to concerns regarding job performance and patient care. This article reviews the relevant literature on burnout in order to provide information to educators about its prevalence, features, impact, and potential interventions. METHODS: Studies were identified through a Medline and PsychInfo search from 1974 to 2009. Fifty-one studies were identified. Definition and description of burnout and measurement methods are presented followed by a thorough review of the studies. RESULTS: An examination of the burnout literature reveals that it is prevalent in medical students (28%-45%), residents (27%-75%, depending on specialty), as well as practicing physicians. Psychological distress and physical symptoms can impact work performance and patient safety. Distress during medical school can lead to burnout, which in turn can result in negative consequences as a working physician. Burnout also poses significant challenges during early training years in residency. Time demands, lack of control, work planning, work organization, inherently difficult job situations, and interpersonal relationships, are considered factors contributing to residents' burnout. Potential interventions include workplace-driven and individual-driven measures. Workplace interventions include education about burnout, workload modifications, increasing the diversity of work duties, stress management training, mentoring, emotional intelligence training, and wellness workshops. Individual-driven behavioral, social, and physical activities include promoting interpersonal professional relations, meditation, counseling, and exercise. CONCLUSIONS: Educators need to develop an active awareness of burnout and ought to consider incorporating relevant instruction and interventions during the process of training resident physicians.