Promoting the joy in academic medicine: A scoping review

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Organizational Psychology
• Workplace Well-being

Background:

• Traditional approaches to workplace well-being often focus on deficits like burnout.
• Joy at work is a strength-based approach that enhances productivity, creativity, and happiness.
• Academic medical settings present unique challenges for fostering a positive work environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review on how leaders can better support joy at work in academic medical settings.
• To identify evidence-based strategies for promoting joy among healthcare professionals.
• To inform interventions aimed at improving the overall work experience for academic physicians.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive scoping review was performed across seven databases.
• Publications were screened for relevance, with full-text review for eligible studies.
• Data extraction and synthesis were conducted by multiple reviewers to ensure rigor.

Main Results:

• 25 publications met the inclusion criteria, published between 1997 and 2023.
• Key themes included adopting strengths-based approaches to joy, implementing targeted programs, and the crucial role of leadership.
• Studies were primarily conducted in the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada.

Conclusions:

• System-level changes and evidence-based programs are effective in promoting joy at work for academic physicians.
• Leadership competency in evidence-based joy-improvement strategies is essential for successful implementation.
• Fostering joy contributes to a more productive, creative, and satisfying work environment in academic medicine.