Faculty Emotional Intelligence Matters for Resident Education

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Psychology in Medicine

Background:

• Emotional intelligence (EI) is crucial for effective clinical teaching and mentorship.
• Assessing EI in surgical faculty can identify areas for professional development.
• Understanding the link between faculty EI and resident feedback is vital for improving surgical education.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the emotional intelligence levels of surgical faculty.
• To evaluate the relationship between faculty EI and resident evaluations of faculty behaviors.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective collection of faculty EI scores and resident evaluations.
• Administration of the 28-item Emotional Intelligence Appraisal to surgical faculty.
• Statistical analysis using parametric and nonparametric tests.

Main Results:

• A moderate, positive correlation was found between faculty EI scores and resident rotational evaluations (r=0.52, p < 0.001).
• Faculty EI scores did not significantly correlate with resident evaluations of intraoperative behaviors.
• The mean EI score for participating faculty was 76 ± 7.7.

Conclusions:

• Surgical faculty generally demonstrate competent levels of emotional intelligence.
• Faculty EI is a significant factor influencing the clinical learning environment.
• Faculty EI correlates with resident evaluations of teaching effectiveness.