Stress training for the surgical resident.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Psychology

Background:

• Surgical education prioritizes technical skills over stress management.
• Inadequate stress management in surgery can negatively impact patient care, lead to residency attrition, and cause burnout.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a stress management educational program for surgical residents.
• To assess the impact of stress training on resident performance during simulated stressful scenarios.

Main Methods:

• A blinded, matched comparison group study design.
• Experimental group (n=11) received stress training; control group (n=15) did not.
• Performance evaluated via simulation using objective and subjective stress measures and a standardized checklist.

Main Results:

• A trend towards 5% higher performance scores in the experimental group compared to the control group (P = .54).
• No significant differences were observed in anxiety levels (State Trait Anxiety Inventory, P = .34) or heart rate under stress (P = .17) between groups.
• A significant majority (91%) of residents found the stress training valuable.

Conclusions:

• Stress management training showed a trend for improved surgical performance but did not significantly reduce anxiety.
• The educational program was perceived as valuable by surgical residents.
• Further research may be needed to optimize stress management interventions in surgical education.