Does teaching Optimism lower Burnout in residency training- a pilot study
Daniel I Kim1,2,3, Lawrence K Loo4, Roger C Garrison5,6
1Chair of Medicine, Riverside University Health System.
Summary
This study explored an optimism curriculum
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Psychology
- Occupational Health
Background:
- Physician burnout is a significant issue with inconsistent intervention results.
- Optimism interventions in other fields show promise for enhancing well-being.
- Psychological interventions targeting optimism may reduce burnout risk.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate an optimism curriculum's impact on resident burnout.
- Utilized Lazarus' Ways of Coping as a framework.
- Assessed changes in optimism, happiness, and burnout.
Main Methods:
- Internal Medicine residents (n=36) participated in a 3-session optimism curriculum.
- Pre- and post-curriculum validated surveys measured optimism, happiness, and burnout.
- A post-curriculum evaluation assessed program effectiveness.
Main Results:
- Low optimism scores correlated with higher burnout.
- Post-intervention showed numerical improvements in optimism, happiness, and burnout.
- Burnout scores decreased numerically, but not to a statistically significant degree (p=0.24).
Conclusions:
- Teaching optimism to residents is feasible and integrable into residency education.
- This pilot study suggests a potential role for optimism curricula in residency training.
- Further studies are warranted to confirm the efficacy of optimism interventions for burnout reduction.
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