What We Talk About When We Talk About Coping: A Qualitative Study of Surgery Residents’ Coping following Complications and Deaths

There is little data on how surgical residents cope during times of need such as following a complication or death. This qualitative study found that residents shared similar beliefs (e.g., compartmentalization, resilience) and employed a number of strategies (e.g., support from colleagues and mentors, personal practices and rituals) that facilitated coping. These findings may inform future initiatives aimed at resident well-being.