Alleviating stress in residency training through enhanced communication: a practical guide

Stress is an inherent component of residency training and its effect on healthcare provided is well documented. Although stress-related signs and symptoms are easily recognized, residents and trainers are likely to ignore them--until a crisis occurs. Based on the theory that good communication alleviates stress, the "I" Language Model, discussed in this article, is designed to enhance communication between residents and their superiors, colleagues, and families. As such, it is meant to provide one means of intervention before stress affects the resident's on-the-job performance.