BACKGROUND: While resident distress and its potential to negatively effect patient care have been well documented, little is known about
resident well-being or its potential to enhance care.
OBJECTIVE: We measured resident well-being and explored its relationship with empathy.
DESIGN: Anonymous, cross-sectional survey.
PARTICIPANTS: Internal medicine residents at Mayo Clinic Rochester (n=165, summer 2003).
MEASUREMENTS: Well-being was measured using the previously validated Medical Outcomes Study 8-item Short Form (SF-8). Empathy was measured
using the previously validated Perspective Taking (PT) and Empathetic Concerns (EC) Sub-scales of the Interpersonal Reactivity
Index (IRI).
RESULTS: Eighty-three (50%) residents responded to the survey. Mean scores for well-being as measured by the SF-8 were comparable
to the general population, and empathy scores on the IRI were similar to other resident samples. Resident empathy on both
the cognitive (PT) and emotive (EC) sub-scales of the IRI was higher for residents with higher mental well-being on the SF-8;
however, this difference was statistically significant only for the cognitive sub-scale. The importance of a number of personal
wellness promotion strategies differed for residents with higher mental well-being on the SF-8.
CONCLUSIONS: High mental well-being was associated with enhanced resident empathy in this cross-sectional survey. Future studies need
to explore the potential for high resident well-being to enhance medical care and competency in addition to exploring the
negative consequences of resident distress. Studies investigating how to promote resident well-being are needed.
Key words resident - well-being - empathy - competency - distress
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
This work was presented at the ACGME Annual Meeting, March 4, 2004, Chicago, Ill.
This study was funded through institutional grants from the Mayo Clinic Department of Medicine MIDAS Program. The investigators
received financial support from the Mayo Clinic.