Exploring Resident Physician Wellness at an Allopathic Medical School in West Virginia: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Social support is key to wellness, especially during times of stress and uncertainty. The working climate, including the multidisciplinary medical community provides opportunities for both positive and negative wellness experiences. The purpose of this study is to explore residents' concepts of wellness and the influence of programs, faculty, peers, and nursing and ancillary staff. Methods: An email with a link to the REDCap survey was sent to each resident (n=450) in the school of medicine at West Virginia University asking them to give examples of ways their wellness has been supported (or not) by faculty members, their program, co-residents, and nursing and ancillary staff. The residents returned 51 completed surveys (11% response rate). Seven residents participated in a face to face interview. A content analysis using Hale's adaptation of resident wellness (based upon Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs) as the theoretical framework was conducted on the data. Results: Positive wellness elements frequently focused on time, supportive actions, and social connection. Negative examples impacting wellness included feeling disrespected, not being included in decision making, conflicts, and feeling unappreciated. Suggestions from the residents often described low cost interventions such as being" included" and feeling part of the team. Conclusion: The participants described how all members of the healthcare team can support resident wellness in a variety of domains. Peers, support staff in the hospital environment, faculty supervisors, and the program overall can contribute to the basic physiologic needs, safety, belonging, esteem, and self-actualization of resident learners through social support.