Skills-Based Programs Used to Reduce Physician Burnout in Graduate Medical Education: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Well-being
• Graduate Medical Education Research

Background:

• Physician burnout is a significant issue in graduate medical education (GME).
• Existing burnout reduction programs in GME have not been systematically evaluated.
• Effective interventions for burnout may differ from those for general wellness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review educational programs designed to reduce burnout in GME.
• To identify common themes and pedagogical approaches in GME burnout reduction programs.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature review following PRISMA guidelines, including peer-reviewed publications up to October 2019.
• Quality assessment of included studies using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument (MERSQI).
• Analysis of program content, pedagogical methods, and reported outcomes on burnout reduction scales.

Main Results:

• 24 studies were included, with varying quality scores (MERSQI 8.5-14).
• Eleven studies reported significant results, with 10 showing a decrease in burnout.
• Common curricula included stress management, burnout reduction, resilience, and wellness, primarily using discussion groups and didactic sessions.

Conclusions:

• No consistent pattern of program success or failure was identified.
• Further randomized controlled trials are needed in GME to determine effective burnout reduction components.
• The heterogeneity of programs and outcomes necessitates rigorous future research.