Hidden in plain sight: residency coordinators' social support of residents in family medicine residency programs

Social support resources for family medicine residents have increased over the years in response to the challenges of residency training and Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) requirements. In all of the discussions of social support, the role of residency coordinators (RCs) has been overlooked. A national survey was conducted to expose and explore the contribution of RCs to the social support of family medicine residents.

A questionnaire was developed to identify the specific contributions to social support RCs might make and the amount of time dedicated to social support activities. The questionnaire was mailed to RCs at 459 US family medicine residencies, with a response rate of 69% (n=316).

RCs report devoting on average approximately 6 hours a week (14% full-time equivalents) to the social support of residents. They provide ideas for solving personal and professional problems, opportunities for residents to express feelings, and emotional support. They frequently discuss resident issues with the residency director and others and often play a role in progress evaluations.

RCs in family medicine residencies report playing an important yet often unacknowledged role in the social support of family medicine residents and often serving as a conduit for information between residents and the administration. This role raises issues concerning the recruitment, supervision, training, and job expectations of RCs.