Changing the Culture from the Bottom Up: Results of a Resident-Led Ergonomics Quality Improvement Initiative

Poor ergonomic habits in residency contribute to musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders later in a surgeon's career. Despite growing awareness, formal ergonomics training is limited. This study implemented a resident-led ergonomics curriculum to assess its impact on resident habits. A 1-h educational session covering MSK disorders, microbreaks, and ergonomics best practices was delivered to general surgery residents. The session included active demonstrations, pre- and post-lecture knowledge assessments, and surveys on ergonomic practices. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 4 months and 1 year. Among 26 attendees, knowledge scores improved by 16.8 ​% (p ​= ​0.001). At 4-month follow-up 26.7 ​% adopted microbreaks and 46.7 ​% implemented ergonomic exercises into their regular routine. At 1 year, adoption of practices remained similar, with time constraints and faculty disapproval as common barriers. The curriculum improved ergonomics awareness and practices, but more robust adoption of ergonomic techniques and microbreaks remains limited largely due to hierarchical barriers and time constraints.