Appreciating Appreciation: Residents' Experience Feeling Valued Differently as Learners, Physicians, and Employees

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Occupational Psychology
• Qualitative Research

Background:

• Cultures of wellness are vital for professional growth and performance in medicine.
• Resident well-being and retention are critical issues in healthcare.
• Perceived appreciation is an under-examined component of wellness cultures in residency programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how residents perceive appreciation in the workplace.
• To understand the relationship between resident appreciation, professional fulfillment, and performance.
• To identify manifestations of appreciation from residents' perspectives.

Main Methods:

• Interpretative phenomenological approach guiding a qualitative study.
• Purposive sampling of 12 residents across various specialties and regions in the Netherlands.
• Semistructured interviews and thematic analysis to explore experiences of appreciation.

Main Results:

• Residents perceive appreciation as being "seen and heard."
• Appreciation manifests through acknowledgment of competencies, opportunities for growth, meaningful patient interactions, collegiality, and recognition of efforts.
• Feeling appreciated positively impacts residents' mental health, self-confidence, commitment, and fulfillment, enhancing performance and patient care quality.

Conclusions:

• Appreciation is a key factor in resident well-being and professional development.
• Manifestations of appreciation align with resident roles as learners, physicians/colleagues, and employees.
• The core experience of feeling "seen and heard" is essential for resident fulfillment and performance, addressing critical workforce challenges.