Clinical Trial: The READ-SG Study: Effect of Peer-Facilitated Small Group Discussions

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: The Reflect, Empathize, Analyze, and Discuss in Small Groups Study: The Effect of Peer-facilitated Small Group Discussions on Burnout and Professional Development Among Physician Trainees

Brief Summary: This study evaluates the effect of peer facilitated monthly small group topic-based small group discussions on various themes common to physician training that pertain to aspects of humanism on rates of burnout. Attendance to these sessions and completion of the surveys is voluntary.

Detailed Summary:

It is widely known that physicians have rates of suicide that are far higher than in other professions: 70% higher for men and 250-400% higher for women. While the reasoning behind why this occurs has not been well elucidated, physicians do face some unique challenges including the responsibilities of the lives of others, a duty to always uphold the highest level of a moral and ethical standard, as well as being faced with both physical and emotional exhaustion. Trainees in particular seem at risk due to the rigors of the job in addition to the stress of the rapid expansion of the physical and emotional expectations put upon them.

To the investigator's knowledge, there has yet to be any study that has shown any beneficial outcomes regarding burnout using a small group curriculum among physician trainees that also encompasses analysis of the effect of an intervention on the emotional development of trainees. However, there has been a randomized trial on the effect of small groups for junior attendings that showed decreased rates of depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, and physician burnout in the intervention group. The implications of such programs on the trainee population could result in decreased levels of physician/ trainee burnout, depression, and potentially even suicide, aside from providing trainees with a sense of increased job satisfaction.

While many people in the scientific community judge the success of a physician by their medical achievements and diagnostic acumen, many patients judge the successes of their doctors based on empathy, communication, and bedside manner. While many resources exist to teach residents about the science of medicine, there does not exist to my knowledge a standardized curriculum to teach residents about the humanistic side of medicine and the importance of emotional development.
Sponsor: Columbia University

Current Primary Outcome:

  • Change in Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) Personal Accomplishment Score (section 1) [ Time Frame: Baseline, 1 year ]
    This is designed to prospectively measure whether the intervention affects and/or mitigates burnout rates over residency training. The survey has 3 sections.
  • Change in Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) Depersonalization Score (section 2) [ Time Frame: Baseline, 1 year ]
    This is designed to prospectively measure whether the intervention affects and/or mitigates burnout rates over residency training. The survey has 3 sections.
  • Change in Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) Emotional Exhaustion Score (section 3) [ Time Frame: Baseline, 1 year ]
    This is designed to prospectively measure whether the intervention affects and/or mitigates burnout rates over residency training. The survey has 3 sections.


Original Primary Outcome: Same as current

Current Secondary Outcome:

  • Dose response relationship ratio [ Time Frame: Up to 1 year ]
    This is designed to evaluate whether there is a dose response relationship between the number of sessions attended and the effect of the sessions on burnout scores, measured by p-value.
  • Change in Likert-scale Score [ Time Frame: Baseline, monthly for up to 1 year ]
    This is designed to validate whether the READ-SG Study Survey correlate with the already validated single-question/abbreviated burnout questions.


Original Secondary Outcome: Same as current

Information By: Columbia University

Dates:
Date Received: May 19, 2017
Date Started: June 1, 2016
Date Completion: June 2019
Last Updated: May 19, 2017
Last Verified: May 2017