Enhanced stress-resilience training for surgical trainees.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Surgical Training
• Psychology

Background:

• Core surgical training programs are linked to high burnout rates.
• Surgical trainees face significant work-related stress and burnout.
• There is a need for effective interventions to support trainee well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the influence of a novel enhanced stress-resilience training (ESRT) course.
• To evaluate the feasibility of delivering ESRT to core surgical trainees.
• To measure the impact of ESRT on burnout and stress levels.

Main Methods:

• A 5-week ESRT course using mindfulness-based exercises was offered to core surgical trainees.
• Feasibility was assessed by participation and completion rates.
• Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) before and after the course.

Main Results:

• Despite challenges like COVID-19 and inflexible rotas, 91.7% found the ESRT course valuable.
• Trainees completing the course reported significantly lower high stress states and higher mindfulness.
• No significant difference in Maslach Burnout Inventory scores was observed before and after the ESRT intervention.

Conclusions:

• Enhanced stress-resilience training (ESRT) is feasible for surgical trainees, even amidst demanding clinical schedules.
• The course demonstrates potential in improving mindfulness and reducing high stress states.
• Further research is warranted to determine the medium-term efficacy of ESRT with protected training time.