Peer facilitation and burnout: the READ-SG pilot.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Well-being
• Postgraduate Training

Background:

• Burnout is prevalent among doctors and postgraduate trainees.
• Effective preventive measures for physician burnout remain under-researched.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the impact of a novel peer-facilitated small group discussion program on postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) Internal Medicine residents.
• To assess the program's effect on professional development, empathy, stress, and motivation.

Main Methods:

• Implemented monthly peer-facilitated small group discussions using the Reflect, Empathise, Analyse, Discuss in Small Groups (READ-SG) format.
• Protected time was allocated for discussions on humanism and professional development.
• Surveys assessed perceived effects on professional development and burnout symptoms (empathy, stress, motivation).

Main Results:

• An average of 9.6 PGY1 residents attended each session over a 3-month pilot period.
• 100% of participants reported the sessions were important.
• High average Likert scale scores (1-5) were reported for professional development (4.59), empathy (4.38), stress (4.00), and motivation (4.28).

Conclusions:

• Peer-facilitated monthly small group discussions utilizing the READ-SG method show positive effects.
• The program appears beneficial for enhancing professional development and mitigating burnout symptoms in postgraduate doctor trainees.