Moral angst for surgical residents: a qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Bioethics

Background:

• Ethical dilemmas in surgical residency are under-explored from the resident's viewpoint.
• Understanding resident perspectives is key to improving training environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To qualitatively explore the ethical dilemmas encountered by surgical residents.
• To understand the lived experiences of residents regarding ethical challenges in training.

Main Methods:

• Grounded theory methodology was employed.
• Face-to-face interviews were conducted with 28 surgical residents (including otolaryngology and obstetrics/gynecology).
• Interview transcripts were analyzed by three independent reviewers.

Main Results:

• Residents prefer supervision during procedures and noted inadequate patient information.
• Strong resident-patient relationships were developed.
• Residents felt obligated to disclose intraoperative errors and experienced ethical distress in teaching scenarios.

Conclusions:

• Surgical residents experience significant ethical dilemmas and moral distress.
• Creating safe spaces for open discussion of ethical issues is essential.
• Enhanced collaboration between staff and residents can optimize communication and teaching situations.