Impact of a resident-driven wellbeing committee on resident-perceived wellbeing, burnout, and resilience

Abstract

Background: Limited data exists to guide strategies that reduce risks of burnout amongst pharmacy residents.

Objective: The primary objective of this analysis was to characterize wellbeing, burnout, and resiliency among pharmacy residents. The secondary objective was to assess the impact of a resident-run wellbeing committee on wellbeing, burnout, and resiliency.

Practice description: In 2018, a wellbeing committee was developed at an academic medical center with the aim of promoting wellbeing and resilience amongst pharmacy residents.

Practice innovation: The wellbeing committee functions through 3 workgroups focused on resources, engagement, and advocacy. Collectively, these workgroups aim to facilitate wellbeing discussions, plan mindfulness events, and advocate for policies to enhance the wellbeing of residents.

Evaluation methods: Pharmacy residents were invited to participate in an electronic survey aimed at characterizing resident wellbeing and assessing the impact of a resident-led wellbeing committee on wellbeing, burnout, and resiliency. The Resident & Fellow Wellbeing Index (RFWI) and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) were utilized to assess burnout and resiliency, respectively. Continuous and categorical endpoints were assessed utilizing student t tests and chi-square tests, respectively.

Results: A total of 16 of 38 residents participated in this analysis. Scores for RFWI and BRS remained stable throughout the 16-week period. RFWI scores demonstrated that up to 50% of residents scored as "at risk" at any point during the study period, while over 80% of respondents maintained high levels of resilience. More than 50% of respondents reported a positive impact of the wellbeing committee on their wellbeing, burnout, and resilience.

Conclusion: A resident-led wellbeing committee demonstrated favorable impact on wellbeing, burnout, and resilience for majority of pharmacy residents. While this data suggests that such a committee may serve to protect residents from the negative impacts of burnout, future studies are necessary to further elucidate strategies to promote resident wellbeing.