A Pilot Study of a Six Week Yoga and Mindfulness-Based Program in Resident Physicians

Introduction. Healthcare professionals who participate in regular exercise better manage job related stressors, utilize fewer sick days, and discuss fitness with patients at increased rates. Although resident physicians are aware of the health benefits of exercise their rates of exercise are much lower than among medical trainees and practicing physicians. Resident physicians have reported lack of time for traditional structured workouts as one of the greatest barriers to fitness. This study sought to increase resident physician well-being by providing brief workouts through a motivational fitness curriculum. Methods. This pilot study utilized a nonexperimental design; a pre-/post-intervention consisted of a 10-month motivational fitness curriculum. Thirteen family medicine residents at a training program in the midwestern United States participated in this study. The Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) and the Abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-9) were used to measure the participants’ well-being, pre- and post-curriculum. Standard descriptive statistics and paired samples t-test were used to analyze the data. Results. Twenty-eight percent (13/36) of eligible first-year and second-year family medicine resident physicians participated in the study. On the DASS-21, study participants displayed an improvement in depression, anxiety, and stress scores post-curriculum. On the MBI-9, the participants reported decreased score in emotional exhaustion, but there were no changes in depersonalization and personal accomplishment scores over time.Conclusion. A motivational fitness curriculum may be a convenient way to support well-being among resident physicians. These findings were salient, as graduate medical education programs can implement similar initiatives to support resident physicians’ psychological and physical well-being.

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SELECTION OF PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION RESIDENT PHYSICIANS: PILOT STUDY OF A NEW INTERVIEW RATINGS FORMAT

American Journal of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation ◽

10.1097/00002060-199903000-00079 ◽

1999 ◽

Vol 78 (2) ◽

pp. 191

Author(s):

David W. Musick ◽

Susan M. McDowell

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Physical Medicine ◽

Physical Medicine And Rehabilitation ◽

Resident Physicians ◽

Selection Of

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Knowledge and Self-Efficacy Assessment of Residents and Fellows Following Palliative Care Unit Rotation: A Pilot Study

American Journal of Hospice and Palliative Medicine® ◽

10.1177/1049909118823181 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 36 (6) ◽

pp. 492-499

Author(s):

Sven Niklas Burmann ◽

Martin Neukirchen ◽

Christoph Ostgathe ◽

Mingo Beckmann ◽

Jacqueline Schwartz ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Palliative Care ◽

Pilot Study ◽

Self Efficacy ◽

Descriptive Analysis ◽

Nonparametric Tests ◽

Residency Programs ◽

Resident Physicians ◽

Multicenter Survey ◽

Specialized Palliative Care ◽

Efficacy Assessment

Background: In Germany, some units of specialized palliative care (SPC) offer a 6- to 12-month rotation for resident physicians (RPs) and fellows from different specialties. Objective: This pilot study aimed to evaluate feasibility of assessing palliative care knowledge (PCK) and palliative care self-efficacy (PCSE) using a paper-based questionnaire. Methods: Palliative care knowledge and PCSE were assessed by introducing a score, followed by a descriptive analysis (determination of frequency, mean, median, and range) using nonparametric tests (χ2 test, Mann–Whitney U test). Results: We assessed 17 RPs following SPC rotation and 16 board-certified specialists (BCSs) who had no experience in SPC from 3 German comprehensive cancer centers. Resident physicians were predominantly enrolled in residency programs of hematology and oncology (n = 6), anesthesiology (n = 6), and psychosomatic medicine (n = 3). Resident physicians rotated between year 1 and 8 of residency. Fifteen RPs (88%) had elected this rotation and 72% preferred 12-month duration. The total PCK score of PCK was 27 (RPs) and 24 (BCSs; P = .002). Mean PCSE scores were 46 (RPs) and 39 (BCSs; P = .016). Of 71% of RPs, only 27% of BCSs knew how support of hospice service was initiated ( P = .004). Participants rated the items as comprehensible (n = 24; 73%), relevant (n = 25; 76%) and the questionnaire as adequately long (n = 23; 70%). Conclusion: An improved PCK and PCSE were observed in physicians who rotated through an SPC unit; this resulted in an increased tangibility of local palliative care and hospice services. The questionnaire was comprehensible, relevant in terms of content, and adequate in length for a prospective multicenter survey.

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T90. Pilot study to compare the P300 component in resident physicians with acute sleep deprivation after a night shift and non-exposed controls

Clinical Neurophysiology ◽

10.1016/j.clinph.2018.04.091 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 129 ◽

pp. e36-e37

Author(s):

Alexis I. Cervantes Gonzalez ◽

Gilberto Angel Maldonado-Torres ◽

Cecilia Alejandra Carranza-Alva ◽

Armando Torres-Gómez ◽

Paul Shkurovich Bialik

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Sleep Deprivation ◽

Night Shift ◽

P300 Component ◽

Resident Physicians ◽

Acute Sleep Deprivation

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An evidence-based method for assessing the value of a search tool: a pilot study

Journal of the Medical Library Association JMLA ◽

10.5195/jmla.2018.287 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 106 (4) ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Donald Stanley Pearson ◽

Stevo Roksandic ◽

Jill Kilanowski

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Nursing Students ◽

Comparison Group ◽

Intervention Group ◽

Evidence Based ◽

Accuracy Score ◽

Convenience Sample ◽

Resident Physicians ◽

Search Tool ◽

Graduate Nursing

Objective: The objective of this study was to develop an evidence-based method with a set of metrics that could be used to assess an information search tool.Methods: This pilot study analyzed a two-group convenience sample of graduate nursing students and resident physicians. The intervention group received ten minutes of instruction on a familiar search tool (eSearcher). Each group was provided one prompt to search for clinical guidelines on a given topic within their scope of practice and asked to find the best result using only eSearcher (intervention group) or specifically excluding eSearcher (comparison group). Three measurements of search results were employed: time elapsed to complete the search, an accuracy score, and a participant-reported score of confidence in the result.Results: Forty-two students participated in this study (23 graduate nursing students and 19 resident physicians). The intervention group consisted of 22 participants (12 graduate nursing students and 10 resident physicians), and the comparison group consisted of 20 participants (11 graduate nursing students and 9 resident physicians). The intervention group had lower mean ranks in both accuracy and confidence compared to the comparison (not eSearcher) group, although these differences were not significant. However, the intervention (eSearcher) group had significantly longer search times compared to the comparison (not eSearcher) group.Discussion: These findings provided new insights into the performance of the search tool and how users felt about their search experience. The quantitative evidence gained from this study led directly to an informed decision to explore other options for search tools. The evidence-based methods and process developed in this pilot study will enable similar studies to test other student groups and other search tools, leading to better informed purchasing and instructional decisions.

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Mind-Body Skills Training for Resident Wellness: A Pilot Study of a Brief Mindfulness Intervention

Journal of Medical Education and Curricular Development ◽

10.1177/2382120518773061 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

pp. 238212051877306 ◽

Cited By ~ 9

Author(s):

Laura E Romcevich ◽

Suzanne Reed ◽

Stacy R Flowers ◽

Kathi J Kemper ◽

John D Mahan

Keyword(s):

Pilot Study ◽

Perceived Stress ◽

Maslach Burnout Inventory ◽

Management Training ◽

Skills Training ◽

Post Intervention ◽

Stress Management Training ◽

Resident Physicians ◽

Resident Wellness

Background: Interventions to address burnout include mind-body skills training (MBST), but few studies have evaluated the feasibility of MBST for busy pediatric residents. Objective: In this pilot study, we tested the feasibility of a brief MBST intervention, using in-person peer-led training supported by online modules, to decrease stress and burnout in pediatric resident physicians. Methods: Of 99 (10%) residents, 10 residents at Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Ohio participated in up to four 90-minute MBST sessions more than 1 month, led by a co-resident with 5 years of informal training in mind-body skills. Participants were offered 8 assigned online modules through OSU Center for Integrative Health and Wellness. Measures including Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), Cohen’s Perceived Stress, Smith’s Brief Resilience, Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale-Revised, and Neff’s Self-Compassion Scale (NSS) were administered before (T1) and after (T2) the course. Participants were offered optional monthly “maintenance” sessions for 6 months and completed a third set of measures at this follow-up (T3). Results: The residents completed an average of 4.3/8 online modules and attended an average of 2.8/4 in-person sessions. There was significant improvement in positive attitude, perceived stress, and resilience post intervention (T2). Follow-up evaluation (T3) also demonstrated significant improvement in burnout (depersonalization) and mindfulness. More than 75% of participants found the course worthwhile. Conclusions: A short mixed-method mindfulness-based skills course may be a practical way to offer resilience and stress management training to busy resident physicians.

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