Everyday Resilience: Equipping Faculty With Practical Exercises to Promote Resilience Among Medical Students

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Burnout is a significant issue in the healthcare sector.
• There is a need for practical resilience programs to support healthcare professionals and students.
• Existing resilience training often lacks actionable strategies for long-term well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce and evaluate two skills-based resilience exercises for healthcare faculty.
• To assess the applicability and ease of use of these exercises in a train-the-trainer format.
• To gauge faculty intent to implement these exercises within their institutions.

Main Methods:

• Developed two resilience exercises: 'Breaking Down Easy' (identifying strengths) and 'My Resilience Practice' (coping strategies).
• Conducted train-the-trainer workshops for international faculty at two medical education conferences.
• Collected post-session survey data on workshop quality, exercise usability, and applicability.

Main Results:

• 35 faculty and 5 students participated; 83% completed surveys.
• High ratings for workshop usefulness (4.4/5), applicability (4.6/5), and overall quality (4.8/5).
• Participants found exercises straightforward and planned to use them with students, residents, and faculty.

Conclusions:

• The developed resilience exercises and workshop were perceived as relevant and effective by participants.
• Faculty expressed strong intent to integrate these materials into their teaching practices.
• Implementing such programs is crucial for enhancing well-being, reducing burnout, and potentially improving patient safety and health outcomes.