Exploration of Individual and System-Level Well-being Initiatives at an Academic Surgical Residency Program: A Mixed-Methods Study

IMPORTANCE: Physician well-being is a critical component of sustainable health care. There are few data on the effects of multilevel well-being programs nor a clear understanding of where and how to target resources. OBJECTIVE: To inform the design of future well-being interventions by exploring individual and workplace factors associated with surgical trainees’ well-being, differences by gender identity, and end-user perceptions of these initiatives. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: This mixed-methods study among surgical trainees within a single US academic surgical department included a questionnaire in January 2019 (98 participants, including general surgery residents and clinical fellows) and a focus group (9 participants, all clinical residents who recently completed their third postgraduate year [PGY 3]) in July 2019. Participants self-reported gender (man, woman, nonbinary). EXPOSURES: Individual and organizational-level initiatives, including mindfulness-based affective regulation training (via Enhanced Stress Resilience Training), advanced scheduling of time off, wellness half-days, and the creation of a resident-driven well-being committee. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Well-being was explored using validated measures of psychosocial risk (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, perceived stress, depressive symptoms, alcohol use, languishing, anxiety, high psychological demand) and resilience (mindfulness, social support, flourishing) factors. End-user perceptions were assessed through open-ended responses and a formal focus group. RESULTS: Of 98 participants surveyed, 64 responded (response rate, 65%), of whom 35 (55%) were women. Women vs men trainees were significantly more likely to report high depersonalization (odds ratio [OR], 5.50; 95% CI, 1.38-21.85) and less likely to report high mindfulness tendencies (OR, 0.17; 95% CI, 0.05-0.53). Open-ended responses highlighted time and priorities as the greatest barriers to using well-being resources. Focus group findings reflected Job Demand–Resource theory tenets, revealing the value of individual-level interventions to provide coping skills, the benefit of advance scheduling of time off for maintaining personal support resources, the importance of work quality rather than quantity, and the demoralizing effect of inefficient or nonresponsive systems. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study, surgical trainees indicated that multilevel well-being programs would benefit them, but tailoring these initiatives to individual needs and specific workplace elements is critical to maximizing intervention effects.