Perspectives on Quiet Quitting in Family Medicine Residency Programs

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Workplace Psychology
• Physician Well-being

Background:

• Quiet quitting, defined as performing only the minimum job requirements, is increasingly discussed in popular media.
• While referenced in academic literature, quiet quitting has not been formally examined within residency education.
• This study explores quiet quitting from the perspective of family medicine residency program leaders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the phenomenon of quiet quitting in the context of residency education.
• To gather and analyze the perspectives of leaders in family medicine residency programs on quiet quitting.
• To identify behaviors, contributing factors, consequences, and potential interventions related to quiet quitting in residency.

Main Methods:

• A workshop on quiet quitting was conducted at the 2024 American Academy of Family Physicians Residency Leadership Summit.
• Participant responses were collected from approximately 250 attendees regarding their experiences with quiet quitting in residency programs.
• Thematic analysis was employed by investigators to independently code the collected responses.

Main Results:

• Responses from 215 participants identified quiet quitting behaviors including disengagement, professionalism concerns, and strategic time usage.
• Contributing factors cited include generational shifts in work values, systemic issues, faculty modeling, and lack of experience.
• Negative consequences identified relate to decreased physician competence and patient care quality, with proposed interventions focusing on systemic changes, clear expectations, and well-being support.

Conclusions:

• This study offers insights into quiet quitting from the viewpoint of residency leadership in family medicine.
• The potential negative impact of quiet quitting on physician competence and patient care underscores the need for further investigation.
• Establishing a shared understanding of quiet quitting within residency education is crucial for addressing its implications.