Joseph Kolars | PubMed Health

PubMed2005

Relationship between increased personal well-being and enhanced empathy among internal medicine residents.

BACKGROUND: While resident distress and its potential to negatively effect patient care have been well documented, little is known bout resident well-being or its potential to enhance care. OBJECTIVE: We measured resident well-being and explored its relationship with empathy. DESIGN: Anonymous, cross-sectional survey. PARTICIPANTS: Internal medicine residents at Mayo Clinic Rochester (n=165, summer 2003). MEASUREMENTS: Well-being was measured using the previously validated Medical Outcomes Study 8-item Short Form (SF-8). Empathy was measured using the previously validated Perspective Taking (PT) and Empathetic Concerns (EC) Sub-scales of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI). RESULTS: Eighty-three (50%) residents responded to the survey. Mean scores for well-being as measured by the SF-8 were comparable to the general population, and empathy scores on the IRI were similar to other resident samples. Resident empathy on both the cognitive (PT) and emotive (EC) sub-scales of the IRI was higher for residents with higher mental well-being on the SF-8; however, this difference was statistically significant only for the cognitive sub-scale. The importance of a number of personal wellness promotion strategies differed for residents with higher mental well-being on the SF-8. CONCLUSIONS: High mental well-being was associated with enhanced resident empathy in this cross-sectional survey. Future studies need to explore the potential for high resident well-being to enhance medical care and competency in addition to exploring the negative consequences of resident distress. Studies investigating how to promote resident well-being are needed.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

A direct comparison of ERCP teaching models.

BACKGROUND: Several teaching models for ERCP are now available. Live, anesthetized porcine models have been used for many years, but harvested porcine organ preparations have recently been developed, and computer-based endoscopy simulators now incorporate ERCP modules. Each has proven to be a useful educational modality, but there is no direct comparison among these models. This study compared the performance of these 3 ERCP teaching models. METHODS: Twenty endoscopists used each ERCP training model (computer simulator, harvested porcine organ, live anesthetized pig) and then completed a survey grading the realism and performance of each model compared with performance of ERCP in patients. A rank order was established for the models relative to their realism, educational utility, ease of use, and ease of incorporation into a training program. RESULTS: The harvested porcine organ model scored highest on indices of realism, usefulness, and performance, although this reached statistical significance only for "ease of use" (p < 0.05). Conversely, the computer simulator scored significantly lower in most realism scores, although it was felt to be the one model most easily incorporated into a training program. CONCLUSIONS: Although each ERCP teaching model has proven to be a useful training modality, the harvested porcine organ model was felt to be the most realistic as well as the most favorable model for instruction in both basic and advanced ERCP.

Adult↗