The Impact of a Stress Management Intervention on Medical Residents' Stress and Burnout

The high prevalence of medical residents' stress and burnout raises important questions about how to address this issue effectively and feasibly. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of a stress management intervention on residents' burnout and stress management behaviors and outcomes. We conducted a 1-day workshop for residents in Qatar. The objectives were to help residents identify stressors, identify early warning signs of stress, and practice intervention techniques. Participants completed a precourse survey, a course evaluation, and a 1-month-postcourse survey. Guided by the Kirkpatrick evaluation model, we measured participants' reactions, learning, behavior, and the results of the training. A total of 256 residents participated in the course. In all, 92 % reported at least one piece of knowledge or skill that they could put into practice. At 1-month postcourse, 83.6% listed at least one piece of knowledge or skill that they had put into practice since the course. Using the abbreviated version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, residents improved in three of the four burnout constructs: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and satisfaction with the practice of medicine. An effective stress management intervention implemented in an international context resulted in residents applying the skills that they learned and a reduction of levels of burnout.