Faculty Bibliography

BACKGROUND:Coaching has been proposed to support the transition to residency. Clarifying its impact will help define its value and best use. OBJECTIVE:To explore the experiences of residents working with coaches through the residency transition. DESIGN/METHODS:A cohort comparison survey compared experiences of a coached resident cohort with coaches to the prior, uncoached cohort. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:Post-graduate year (PGY)-2 residents in internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, emergency medicine, and pathology at a single academic center. INTERVENTIONS/METHODS:Faculty trained as coaches had semi-structured meetings with graduating medical students and residents throughout the PGY-1 year. MAIN MEASURES/METHODS:An online anonymous survey assessed effects of coaching on measures of self-directed learning, professional development, program support and impact of coaching using existing scales (2-item Maslach Burnout Inventory, Brief Resilient Coping Scale, 2-item Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale, Stanford Professional Fulfillment Inventory), and novel measures adapted for this survey. Bivariate analyses (t-tests and chi-square tests) compared cohort responses. MANOVA assessed the effects of coaching, burnout and their interactions on the survey domains. KEY RESULTS/RESULTS:Of 156 PGY2 residents, 86 (55%) completed the survey. More residents in the "un-coached" cohort reported burnout (69%) than the "coached" cohort (51%). Burnout was significantly and negatively associated (F = 3.97 (df 7, 75); p < .001) with the learning and professional development outcomes, while being coached was significantly and positively associated with those outcomes (F = 5.54 (df 9, 75); p < .001). Significant interaction effects were found for goal-setting attitudes, professional fulfillment, and perceived program career support such that the positive differences in these outcomes between coached and un-coached residents were greater among burned out residents. Coached residents reported a positive impact of coaching across many domains. CONCLUSIONS:Residents experiencing coaching reported better professional fulfillment and development outcomes, with more pronounced differences in trainees experiencing burnout. Coaching is a promising tool to support a fraught professional transition.

BACKGROUND/UNASSIGNED:As part of the residency application process in the United States, many medical specialties now offer applicants the opportunity to send program signals that indicate high interest to a limited number of residency programs. To determine which residency programs to apply to, and which programs to send signals to, applicants need accurate information to determine which programs align with their future training goals. Most applicants use a program's website to review program characteristics and criteria, so describing the current state of residency program websites can inform programs of best practices. OBJECTIVE/UNASSIGNED:This study aims to characterize information available on obstetrics and gynecology residency program websites and to determine whether there are differences in information available between different types of residency programs. METHODS/UNASSIGNED:This was a cross-sectional observational study of all US obstetrics and gynecology residency program website content. The authorship group identified factors that would be useful for residency applicants around program demographics and learner trajectories; application criteria including standardized testing metrics, residency statistics, and benefits; and diversity, equity, and inclusion mission statements and values. Two authors examined all available websites from November 2011 through March 2022. Data analysis consisted of descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA, with P<.05 considered significant. RESULTS/UNASSIGNED:Among 290 programs, 283 (97.6%) had websites; 238 (82.1%) listed medical schools of current residents; 158 (54.5%) described residency alumni trajectories; 107 (36.9%) included guidance related to the preferred United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 scores; 53 (18.3%) included guidance related to the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination Level 1 scores; 185 (63.8%) included international applicant guidance; 132 (45.5%) included a program-specific mission statement; 84 (29%) included a diversity, equity, and inclusion statement; and 167 (57.6%) included program-specific media or links to program social media on their websites. University-based programs were more likely to include a variety of information compared to community-based university-affiliated and community-based programs, including medical schools of current residents (113/123, 91.9%, university-based; 85/111, 76.6%, community-based university-affiliated; 40/56, 71.4%, community-based; P<.001); alumni trajectories (90/123, 73.2%, university-based; 51/111, 45.9%, community-based university-affiliated; 17/56, 30.4%, community-based; P<.001); the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 score guidance (58/123, 47.2%, university-based; 36/111, 32.4%, community-based university-affiliated; 13/56, 23.2%, community-based; P=.004); and diversity, equity, and inclusion statements (57/123, 46.3%, university-based; 19/111, 17.1%, community-based university-affiliated; 8/56, 14.3%, community-based; P<.001). CONCLUSIONS/UNASSIGNED:There are opportunities to improve the quantity and quality of data on residency websites. From this work, we propose best practices for what information should be included on residency websites that will enable applicants to make informed decisions.

OBJECTIVE:To estimate the prevalence of the Vice Chair of Education (VCE) role in obstetrics and gynecology (OBGYN) departments and to describe the demographics, responsibilities, resource allocation, and challenges faced by individuals in this role. DESIGN/METHODS:A 2-part survey was developed with the Association of Professors of Gynecology and Obstetrics (APGO) Member Engagement Workgroup. SETTING/METHODS:National survey. PARTICIPANTS/METHODS:Part 1 was sent to OBGYN department chairs to identify departments with a VCE and to assess characteristics of departments without 1. Part 2 was sent directly to VCEs to assess characteristics of the department and the individual VCE, including demographics, academic appointments, leadership and educational experience, responsibilities, and institutional support. Chi-squared tests were used to compare departments with and without VCE. RESULTS:196 of 256 OBGYN chairs (76.5%) responded to part 1 of the survey, and 71 of 86 VCEs (82.5%) responded to part 2 of the survey. The prevalence of the VCE role was 43.9%. Departments with a VCE had larger numbers of faculty, residents, and medical students, and were more likely to identify as university-affiliated (all p < 0.001). A majority of VCEs identified as women (82.1%), associate professors (55.0%), and academic specialists (51%), with 62.3% serving as the inaugural VCE in their department. Approximately half of VCEs have a defined job description, and only 35.8% controlled an educational budget. Two-thirds (65.7%) of VCEs received full-time equivalent (FTE) support for the role, with 37.1% receiving 0.2 FTE. CONCLUSIONS:The VCE role remains relatively new in OBGYN. Optimizing success of individuals in this role requires increased job clarity, adequate support, and ongoing opportunities for career development.

Burnout among radiologists is increasingly prevalent, with the potential for having a substantial negative impact on physician well-being, delivery of care, and health outcomes. To evaluate this phenomenon using reliable and accurate means, validated quantitative instruments are essential. Variation in measurement can contribute to wide-ranging findings. This article evaluates radiologist burnout rates globally and dimensions of burnout as reported using different validated instruments; it also provides guidance on best practices to characterize burnout. Fifty-seven studies published between 1990 and 2023 were included in a systematic review, and 43 studies were included in a meta-analysis of burnout prevalence using random-effects models. The reported burnout prevalence ranged from 5% to 85%. With the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), burnout prevalence varied significantly depending on the instrument version used. Among MBI subcategories, the pooled prevalence of emotional exhaustion was 54% (95% CI, 45-63%), depersonalization was 52% (95% CI, 41-63%), and low personal accomplishment was 36% (95% CI, 27-47%). Other validated burnout instruments showed less heterogeneous results; studies using the Stanford Professional Fulfillment Index yielded a burnout prevalence of 39% (95% CI, 34-45%), whereas the validated single-item instrument yielded a burnout prevalence of 34% (95% CI, 29-39%). Standardized instruments for assessing prevalence alongside multidimensional profiles capturing experiences may better characterize radiologist burnout, including change occurring over time.

Gender inequity persists in academic medicine. This article reviews the historical context, ongoing leadership challenges, and societal biases. The persistent barriers to gender equity in leadership roles, pay, and professional recognition are considered through the lens of obstetrics and gynecology where these issues persist despite a significant presence of women in the field. The impact of gender stereotypes, the role of intersectionality, and the need for systemic change are evident. Embracing diverse leadership styles and creating inclusive pathways to leadership will help actualize the potential benefits of a gender-diverse workforce, enhancing health care outcomes and fostering innovation.