Presence, Resilience, and Compassion Training in Clinical Education (PRACTICE): A Follow-Up Evaluation of a Resident-Focused Wellness Program

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background Graduate medical education is demanding, and many residents eventually experience a reduced sense of well-being. Interventions are in development, but knowledge gaps remain in terms of time commitment and efficacy. Objective To evaluate a mindfulness-based wellness program for residents—PRACTICE (Presence, Resilience, and Compassion Training in Clinical Education). Methods PRACTICE was delivered virtually by the first author in the winter and spring of 2020-2021. The intervention totaled 7 hours delivered over 16 weeks. An intervention group of 43 residents (19 primary care and 24 surgical) participated in PRACTICE. Program directors electively enrolled their programs, and PRACTICE was integrated into residents' regular educational curriculum. The intervention group was compared to a non-intervention group of 147 residents whose programs did not participate. Repeated measure analyses were conducted before and after the intervention using the Professional Fulfillment Index (PFI) and Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-4. The PFI measured professional fulfillment, work exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, and burnout; the PHQ-4 measured depression and anxiety symptoms. A mixed model was used to compare scores between the intervention and non-intervention groups. Results Evaluation data were available from 31 of 43 (72%) residents in the intervention group, and from 101 of 147 (69%) residents in the non-intervention group. Significant and sustained improvements were demonstrated in professional fulfillment, work exhaustion, interpersonal disengagement, and anxiety in the intervention group versus the non-intervention group. Conclusions Participation in PRACTICE resulted in improvements in measures of resident well-being that were sustained over the 16-week duration of the program.