Perceptions of Residents and Their Training Directors Regarding Wellness Education, Program Support, and Access to...

This study determines the extent to which residents and their program directors have discordant perceptions regarding wellness, support, and treatment opportunities for trainees. In addition, the authors examined whether psychiatry residents differed in their perceptions compared with residents in other specialties.

Residents and their program directors from each of 10 specialties were electronically surveyed after IRB approval and giving informed consent.

Of 42 program directors responding, over 92% indicated they provided wellness education and programming; however, a significantly lower percentage of 822 trainees were aware of this (81.2% and 74.9%, respectively). A similar disparity existed between program directors (PDs) who knew where to refer depressed residents for help (92.9%) and residents who knew where to seek help (71%). Moreover, 83.3% of program directors believed they could comfortably discuss depression with a depressed resident, but a lower percentage of their trainees (69.1%) felt their training directors would be supportive. A significantly greater percentage of program directors (40.5%) believed seeking treatment for depression might compromise medical licensure than did residents (13.0%). Psychiatry residents were significantly more aware of wellness, support, and access than were residents from other specialties.

The availability of wellness education, programming, program director accessibility, and knowing where to ask for help if depressed does not seem to be adequately communicated to many residents. Moreover, program directors disproportionately see depression treatment as a risk to medical licensure compared with their residents. Psychiatry residents seem to be more aware of program director support and access to care than their colleagues.