Practicing Confidence: An Autoethnographic Exploration of the First Years as Physicians

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Development
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Medical school graduates undergo residency training to develop self-assurance.
• The developmental process and foundation of resident physician confidence remain largely unexplored.
• This study offers an insider perspective on confidence evolution during residency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the development of confidence in resident physicians.
• To provide an insider view of confidence acquisition through frontline experiences.
• To understand the factors influencing confidence in early-career physicians.

Main Methods:

• An analytic collaborative autoethnographic approach was employed.
• Two resident physicians (Internal Medicine, Pediatrics) documented 73 real-time stories over two years.
• Thematic analysis of narrative reflections was conducted iteratively with expert input.

Main Results:

• Confidence development in residency is a layered and non-linear process.
• Key experiences included fears, failures, mundane successes, and growth in physicianship.
• The study captures a longitudinal trajectory of confidence from its inception.

Conclusions:

• Residency significantly transforms physicians' knowledge, attitudes, and skills.
• Autoethnography enhances understanding of confidence acquisition in resident physicians.
• Findings have implications for the practice of medicine and physician training.