Do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience? A multicenter cross‐sectional study
Abstract Background Ambiguity tolerance is important because it contributes to both better patient care and physician well‐being. Although a recent study showed that family physicians have greater ambiguity tolerance than non‐family physicians, the question of when family physicians develop toleranc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Journal of General and Family Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/jgf2.778 |
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| author | Hirohisa Fujikawa Takuya Aoki Takayuki Ando Junji Haruta |
| author_facet | Hirohisa Fujikawa Takuya Aoki Takayuki Ando Junji Haruta |
| author_sort | Hirohisa Fujikawa |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Ambiguity tolerance is important because it contributes to both better patient care and physician well‐being. Although a recent study showed that family physicians have greater ambiguity tolerance than non‐family physicians, the question of when family physicians develop tolerance remains unanswered. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the associations between the number of postgraduate years (PGYs) and ambiguity tolerance. Methods This was a nationwide cross‐sectional study involving family physicians in 14 residency programs throughout Japan. Ambiguity tolerance was assessed as the primary outcome using the Japanese version of the Tolerance for Ambiguity in Medical Students and Doctors scale. Secondary outcomes were burnout and work engagement, assessed using the Japanese version of the Burnout Assessment Tool and the ultra‐short version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, respectively. Results 173 family physicians were included in the analysis. Physicians of PGY ≥7 had significantly greater ambiguity tolerance and lower burnout risk than those of PGY 3–6. Physicians of PGY 7–20 had significantly higher work engagement than those of PGY 3–6. Conclusions Family medicine resident physicians may be vulnerable for the duration of the residency program, although they may develop ambiguity tolerance and improve well‐being over the course of the program. Supervisors in family medicine residency programs should examine the learning environment of their program, considering the vulnerability of their trainees. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e36aea28e70c42799da8bdc53c4c6da2 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2189-7948 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of General and Family Medicine |
| spelling | doaj-art-e36aea28e70c42799da8bdc53c4c6da22025-08-20T02:17:13ZengWileyJournal of General and Family Medicine2189-79482025-05-0126323123710.1002/jgf2.778Do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience? A multicenter cross‐sectional studyHirohisa Fujikawa0Takuya Aoki1Takayuki Ando2Junji Haruta3Center for General Medicine Education, School of Medicine Keio University Shinjuku‐ku Tokyo JapanDivision of Clinical Epidemiology The Jikei University School of Medicine Minato‐ku Tokyo JapanCenter for General Medicine Education, School of Medicine Keio University Shinjuku‐ku Tokyo JapanCenter for General Medicine Education, School of Medicine Keio University Shinjuku‐ku Tokyo JapanAbstract Background Ambiguity tolerance is important because it contributes to both better patient care and physician well‐being. Although a recent study showed that family physicians have greater ambiguity tolerance than non‐family physicians, the question of when family physicians develop tolerance remains unanswered. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the associations between the number of postgraduate years (PGYs) and ambiguity tolerance. Methods This was a nationwide cross‐sectional study involving family physicians in 14 residency programs throughout Japan. Ambiguity tolerance was assessed as the primary outcome using the Japanese version of the Tolerance for Ambiguity in Medical Students and Doctors scale. Secondary outcomes were burnout and work engagement, assessed using the Japanese version of the Burnout Assessment Tool and the ultra‐short version of the Utrecht Work Engagement Scale, respectively. Results 173 family physicians were included in the analysis. Physicians of PGY ≥7 had significantly greater ambiguity tolerance and lower burnout risk than those of PGY 3–6. Physicians of PGY 7–20 had significantly higher work engagement than those of PGY 3–6. Conclusions Family medicine resident physicians may be vulnerable for the duration of the residency program, although they may develop ambiguity tolerance and improve well‐being over the course of the program. Supervisors in family medicine residency programs should examine the learning environment of their program, considering the vulnerability of their trainees.https://doi.org/10.1002/jgf2.778ambiguity toleranceburnoutclinical contextfamily physicianstolerance for ambiguitytolerance of ambiguity |
| spellingShingle | Hirohisa Fujikawa Takuya Aoki Takayuki Ando Junji Haruta Do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience? A multicenter cross‐sectional study Journal of General and Family Medicine ambiguity tolerance burnout clinical context family physicians tolerance for ambiguity tolerance of ambiguity |
| title | Do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience? A multicenter cross‐sectional study |
| title_full | Do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience? A multicenter cross‐sectional study |
| title_fullStr | Do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience? A multicenter cross‐sectional study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience? A multicenter cross‐sectional study |
| title_short | Do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience? A multicenter cross‐sectional study |
| title_sort | do family physicians develop ambiguity tolerance as they gain experience a multicenter cross sectional study |
| topic | ambiguity tolerance burnout clinical context family physicians tolerance for ambiguity tolerance of ambiguity |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/jgf2.778 |
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