The Anatomy of Gossip: Dissecting Dynamics and Impacts in Surgical Residency

Gossip, defined by social scientists as "evaluative talk about an absent third party," is anecdotally pervasive yet poorly understood in surgical residency programs. Gossip is known to have both positive and negative impacts. This study sought to deconstruct the role of gossip in surgical residency and evaluate its impact through the lens of surgical residents.

In this qualitative study, semistructured interviews were conducted with 36 general surgery residents from 9 surgical training programs across the United States. Interviews were conducted from July 2, 2023, to October 5, 2023, via Zoom videoconferencing. A thematic analysis using a grounded theory approach was conducted, and a process model was developed to represent study findings.

Seven themes were developed: (1) the definition of gossip is elusive yet can include both positive and negative connotations, (2) gossip contributes durably to one's reputation within a program, (3) gossip can be used as a form of instruction, (4) gossip flourishes in environments without transparency and among those experiencing burnout, (5) gossiping across a hierarchy may force those lower on the hierarchy into uncomfortable situations, (6) remaining mindful of gossip's potential impact can improve culture, and (7) gossip can build or destroy trust.

Gossip is a complex social phenomenon with the potential to harm or help surgical residents. Rather than trying to eliminate gossip, programs should encourage the known positive impacts of gossip by increasing transparency, enhancing resident wellness, building awareness of existing hierarchies, and improving resident emotional intelligence.