Background: A career in medicine is undoubtedly demanding and often takes a toll on the mental health of the individuals employed in this setting. Residents are an especially vulnerable population. In this study we aim to assess different aspects of resident life that might contribute to mental stress during residency such as a collegial work environment or concern regarding future employment and closely evaluate the lifestyle and work life balance of residents.
Methods: The survey included questions that focused on career and future goals, lifestyle, work environment and support system. The survey was distributed via email. Residents of the Internal Medicine program of Saint Francis Hospital in Evanston, IL were included. Forty-seven residents responded.
Results: 46.3% of responders were first year residents, 24.4% were second year residents, 22% were third year residents, 2.4% were fourth year residents and 4.9% prefered not to answer. 51.2% identified as male, 41.5% identified as female. 39% were married or in a partnership without children, 12.2% were married or in a partnership with children, 34% were single and 14.6% preferred not to answer. 94.9% had a good support system outside of work. 59% socialized with work friends. 76.9% had enough time for household chores. 53.8% had enough personal time after work. 76.3% wished their work organized more social events for residents. 53.8% had enough free time to exercise after work. 35.9% had significant weight changes. 71.1% agreed that their eating habits had worsened during residency. 76.6% wished they had access to gym equipment in their workplace. 53.8% agreed that their work had significantly impaired certain life decisions such as getting married or having children. 79.5% balanced work and home life well. 79.5% felt supported by their colleagues. 14.7% felt singled out by colleagues. 6% of residents had been treated badly by other residents, 2% by other hospital staff, 10% by administration, 14% by attendings, 18% by nurses, 22% by patients, 8% by coworkers, 12% by senior residents, and 8% by chief residents. 29% had received sexist or racist remarks during work. 34.4% feared retaliation in reporting. 45% wanted more anonymity in reporting. 40.6% had issues discussing and coordinating their duties and schedules. 87% agreed that their schedules were released on time. 93% found their colleagues to be helpful when they needed coverage. 78% agreed that colleagues were willing to ease off some of their duties when they felt stressed or overwhelmed. 34% had to stay extra hours in the hospital. 31% had to deal with hospital duties outside of work hours. 60% felt stressed about what they would be doing after graduation. 64% found it easy to find coverage for interviews. 28% had stress regarding balancing their work duties and the interview process. 65% felt that the COVID pandemic had affected future work opportunities for them.
Conclusions: Resident programs should work together to become more involved in establishing guidelines regarding resident wellness. The focus should be on work and home life balance, resident mental and physical health, creating a sense of community between the resident body and establishing values that promote collegiality and fairness. Programs should also aid residents in finding future work opportunities and help them be adequately prepared in order to achieve their future goals. It is important to achieve resident wellness as this has been associated with less medical errors and impairment of clinical reasoning.