Implementing a Novel Resident-Led Peer Support Program for Emergency Medicine Resident Physicians
Background: Residency training is a formative and rigorous experience, with burnout rates reported at 76%. Formal peer support groups have shown improvement in burnout among healthcare workers with anxiety and depression. Objective: Implement a peer support program for emergency medicine (EM) reside...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Behavioral Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/943 |
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| author | Kyra D. Reed Alexandra E. Serpe Alexandria P. Weston Destiny D. Folk Heather P. Kelker Aloysius J. Humbert Katie E. Pettit Julie L. Welch |
| author_facet | Kyra D. Reed Alexandra E. Serpe Alexandria P. Weston Destiny D. Folk Heather P. Kelker Aloysius J. Humbert Katie E. Pettit Julie L. Welch |
| author_sort | Kyra D. Reed |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Residency training is a formative and rigorous experience, with burnout rates reported at 76%. Formal peer support groups have shown improvement in burnout among healthcare workers with anxiety and depression. Objective: Implement a peer support program for emergency medicine (EM) residents and characterize utilization of metrics by demographics, burnout rates of participants, and overall session impact. Methods: An IRB-approved, longitudinal, prospective cohort study of 73 EM and EM/Pediatrics residents post-graduate year (PGY) 1–5 from July 2021–June 2022 was performed. Resident peer leaders were trained using a novel curriculum to lead peer support groups. Residents were invited to participate in biweekly sessions, with optional pre- and post-session surveys measuring demographics, burnout, themes discussed, and how they felt after sessions (Patients’ Global Impression of Change scale). Results: There were 134 attendances over 20 sessions, averaging 6 residents per session. Of 73 total residents, 37 (50%) participated at least once. All levels of training were represented, with half being female, 20% underrepresented in medicine, and 14% LGBTQ+. Overall burnout rates were unchanged for first-time attendances (49%, <i>n</i> = 18) vs. recurrent (50%, <i>n</i> = 11). Females had higher burnout at both baseline (60%, <i>n</i> = 15) and recurrent sessions (69%, <i>n</i> = 13). Following sessions, 94% of participants reported feeling immediately better and 100% of leaders felt prepared leading peer support sessions. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that residents utilize peer support, with many returning more than once. Despite stable burnout rates, 94% of participants felt immediately better after the session, suggesting that peer support is a valuable resource for residents actively experiencing burnout. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-e97fa87b313044728067ad3362ac4dc0 |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2076-328X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Behavioral Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-e97fa87b313044728067ad3362ac4dc02025-08-20T03:13:43ZengMDPI AGBehavioral Sciences2076-328X2025-07-0115794310.3390/bs15070943Implementing a Novel Resident-Led Peer Support Program for Emergency Medicine Resident PhysiciansKyra D. Reed0Alexandra E. Serpe1Alexandria P. Weston2Destiny D. Folk3Heather P. Kelker4Aloysius J. Humbert5Katie E. Pettit6Julie L. Welch7Department of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine, Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University Health Arnett Hospital, Lafayette, IN 47905, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USADepartment of Emergency Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USABackground: Residency training is a formative and rigorous experience, with burnout rates reported at 76%. Formal peer support groups have shown improvement in burnout among healthcare workers with anxiety and depression. Objective: Implement a peer support program for emergency medicine (EM) residents and characterize utilization of metrics by demographics, burnout rates of participants, and overall session impact. Methods: An IRB-approved, longitudinal, prospective cohort study of 73 EM and EM/Pediatrics residents post-graduate year (PGY) 1–5 from July 2021–June 2022 was performed. Resident peer leaders were trained using a novel curriculum to lead peer support groups. Residents were invited to participate in biweekly sessions, with optional pre- and post-session surveys measuring demographics, burnout, themes discussed, and how they felt after sessions (Patients’ Global Impression of Change scale). Results: There were 134 attendances over 20 sessions, averaging 6 residents per session. Of 73 total residents, 37 (50%) participated at least once. All levels of training were represented, with half being female, 20% underrepresented in medicine, and 14% LGBTQ+. Overall burnout rates were unchanged for first-time attendances (49%, <i>n</i> = 18) vs. recurrent (50%, <i>n</i> = 11). Females had higher burnout at both baseline (60%, <i>n</i> = 15) and recurrent sessions (69%, <i>n</i> = 13). Following sessions, 94% of participants reported feeling immediately better and 100% of leaders felt prepared leading peer support sessions. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that residents utilize peer support, with many returning more than once. Despite stable burnout rates, 94% of participants felt immediately better after the session, suggesting that peer support is a valuable resource for residents actively experiencing burnout.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/943peer supportresident wellnessresident mental healthphysician wellnessphysician mental healthburnout |
| spellingShingle | Kyra D. Reed Alexandra E. Serpe Alexandria P. Weston Destiny D. Folk Heather P. Kelker Aloysius J. Humbert Katie E. Pettit Julie L. Welch Implementing a Novel Resident-Led Peer Support Program for Emergency Medicine Resident Physicians Behavioral Sciences peer support resident wellness resident mental health physician wellness physician mental health burnout |
| title | Implementing a Novel Resident-Led Peer Support Program for Emergency Medicine Resident Physicians |
| title_full | Implementing a Novel Resident-Led Peer Support Program for Emergency Medicine Resident Physicians |
| title_fullStr | Implementing a Novel Resident-Led Peer Support Program for Emergency Medicine Resident Physicians |
| title_full_unstemmed | Implementing a Novel Resident-Led Peer Support Program for Emergency Medicine Resident Physicians |
| title_short | Implementing a Novel Resident-Led Peer Support Program for Emergency Medicine Resident Physicians |
| title_sort | implementing a novel resident led peer support program for emergency medicine resident physicians |
| topic | peer support resident wellness resident mental health physician wellness physician mental health burnout |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-328X/15/7/943 |
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