Perceptions of well‐being among pharmacy residents and residency program directors

Abstract

AbstractIntroductionDecreased well‐being in medical careers has resulted in increased burnout, errors, and patient mortality rates. However, while well‐being and burnout of providers and medical residents has been studied previously, it is difficult to apply this information to pharmacy residents as the programs are different in time, focus, and requirements. In addition, differences in resident demographics and goals further elucidate difficulties in applying these findings to well‐being of pharmacy residents. With residency program directors (RPDs) often having the first and most frequent contact with pharmacy residents, ensuring these individuals better understand resident well‐being could facilitate increased well‐being and satisfaction, as well as stronger connections to the program itself.ObjectiveThe primary objective was to identify discrepancies between residents and RPDs in the perception of resident well‐being.MethodsThis was a pilot cohort study. Resident and RPD responses were solicited utilizing Listservs of RPDs in 15 states, as well as platforms such as the North Carolina Association of Pharmacist's Residency Community.ResultsResidents reported a statistically significant lower overall well‐being, with only 49.1% of respondents reporting a “good” or “great” level of well‐being, as compared with 80.1% of RPDs reporting their residents' well‐being as “good” or “great” (P < .001). Secondary end points, such as perception of communication, relationships, and emotional health, revealed similar significant results of RPDs' higher perception of resident well‐being in comparison with resident responses. Of the 15 secondary end points evaluated, 13 showed residents reporting a lower well‐being score compared with the RPDs' perception.ConclusionThere is a large disparity between residents' perception and RPDs' perception of well‐being. This disparity should be viewed as an opportunity to foster conversation, improve well‐being, and implement change in pharmacy residencies across the country. Further studies could be beneficial in understanding specific, successful initiatives that promote higher well‐being scores among pharmacy residents.