Promoting the joy in academic medicine: A scoping review

As academic medical leaders, we aimed to improve the workplace by promoting joy at work. Unlike deficit-based approaches that focus on burnout or disengagement, joy is a strength-based approach. Nurturing joy increases productivity, creativity, and happiness. To achieve our aim, we performed a scoping review on how leaders can better support joy at work for individuals in the academic medical setting.

We searched seven databases, including peer-reviewed studies, books, book chapters, conference abstracts, and dissertations with no restriction on study design or country. Initial screen was abstract and title. Two reviewers screened, two extracted information, and a third reviewed entries. Discrepancies were resolved by consensus.

4649 publications were found (2465 after duplicate removal), 123 had full-text review, 25 met the inclusion criteria and were published between 1997 and 2023, conducted in the United States (n = 22), the United Kingdom (n = 2), and Canada (n = 1). Themes included shifting to a strengths-based focus on joy at work, implementing programs to prioritize it, and the key role of leaders in championing joy.

Making system-level changes and adopting evidence-based programs that promote joy at work for academic physicians is effective. Ensuring that leaders are competent in using evidence-based approaches to improve joy is key.