Work engagement in health professions education.

Area of Science:

• Health Professions Education
• Occupational Health Psychology

Background:

• Work engagement is positively linked to personal well-being and job performance.
• Positive outcomes of work engagement are observed in clinical teachers and residents, impacting patient safety.
• Work engagement is conceptually related to burnout, with the job demands-resources model providing a framework.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the importance of work engagement in health professions education.
• To explore the application of the job demands-resources model in this field.
• To identify aspects of teaching that promote well-being and performance.

Main Methods:

• Conceptual analysis using the job demands-resources (JD-R) model.
• Literature review on work engagement, burnout, and health professions education.
• Application of the JD-R model to understand work characteristics and personal factors.

Main Results:

• Work engagement is a significant factor for well-being and performance among health professionals.
• The JD-R model effectively explains the interplay between job demands, resources, and engagement.
• Identifying teaching aspects that foster well-being is crucial for intervention development.

Conclusions:

• Work engagement should be an explicit outcome in health professions education.
• Interventions strengthening resources can enhance teacher well-being and performance.
• The JD-R model offers a valuable framework for research and interventions in health professions education.