Resident Physicians as Patients: Perceptions of Residents and Their Teaching Physicians

• Published in: Academic psychiatry 2019-02, Vol.43 (1), p.67-70
• Main Authors: Pérez-Álvarez, Candela, Gallego-Royo, Alba, Marco-Gómez, Bárbara, Martínez-Boyero, Teresa, Altisent, Rogelio, Delgado-Marroquín, María-Teresa, Astier-Peña, María Pilar
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Attitude of Health Personnel; Clinical Competence; Coding; Confidentiality; Data Analysis; Decision making; Education, Medical, Graduate; Empathy; Fear; Focus Groups; Grounded Theory; Humans; Illnesses; In Brief Report; Internship and Residency; Interviews; Interviews as Topic; Literature Reviews; Medical Education; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Patients; Physicians; Physicians - psychology; Psychiatry; Qualitative Research; Return to Work; Self-medication; Semi Structured Interviews; Sick Leave; Stigma; Teaching; Teaching Methods
• ISSN: 1042-9670; 1545-7230
• DOI: 10.1007/s40596-018-0981-8

Objective This study aims to broaden understanding into the process by which resident physicians deal with illness and to identify areas for improvement regarding healthcare of residents and teaching physicians training to support them adequately. Methods A qualitative study of ten semi-structured interviews with residents who had suffered a serious illness and a focus group of teaching physicians were conducted. Analysis of the interview transcripts was performed using the grounded theory approach, with information divided into five categories: Differences between residents as patients and general patients; confidentiality; feelings and attitudes; learning from illness; and impact on work and training. Results There are differences between residents and the general population: In the initial stage, diagnosis is made promptly with preferential treatment shown by colleagues. Subsequently, the lack of clear guidelines can lead to poor follow-up. They accept a loss of confidentiality in the process. One of the most serious concerns felt by residents is the impact of their illness on their training as specialists, meaning that teaching physicians are charged with the important role of guaranteeing the resident’s proper recovery, return to work, and readaptation to the training program. Teaching physicians demand their own training be reinforced in these aspects. Conclusion There is a need to assess the great diversity observed in training-related decisions made by teaching physicians when residents fall ill. Given the differences observed, more research is required to improve the care provided to sick residents and particularly the teaching physicians training to handle them.