Addressing Burnout Among Women Residents: Results from Focus Group Discussions

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Well-being
• Gender Studies in Medicine

Background:

• Physician burnout is a significant concern in medical training.
• Existing research suggests potential gender-based differences in burnout prevalence and risk factors.
• Previous surveys indicated higher burnout rates among women residents, particularly in their second postgraduate year (PGY-2).

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the specific experiences and challenges faced by women residents regarding burnout.
• To identify gender-specific factors contributing to physician burnout in a residency setting.
• To gather recommendations for interventions to improve the well-being of women in medical training.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing focus groups with women residents (PGY-3) across various specialties.
• Discussions were guided by open-ended questions derived from existing literature.
• Focus groups were conducted anonymously to ensure participant candor.

Main Results:

• Women residents reported facing unique challenges, including the need to constantly prove their competence and experiencing unconscious gender biases from faculty and patients.
• While some burnout factors were not gender-specific, gendered biases were a significant theme.
• Residents emphasized the need for training programs to better understand and address the experiences of women.

Conclusions:

• Interventions aimed at improving physician well-being must acknowledge and address gender-based differences.
• Enhanced mentoring and networking opportunities are recommended, particularly for women residents.
• These targeted interventions can contribute to a broader strategy for diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging in medicine.