Open AccessThe Challenge of Problem Residents
Author(s) -
Yao David C.,
Wright Scott M.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
journal of general internal medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.746
H-Index - 180
eISSN - 1525-1497
pISSN - 0884-8734
DOI - 10.1046/j.1525-1497.2001.016007486.x
Subject(s) - medicine , variety (cybernetics) , medical education , identification (biology) , medline , substance abuse , professional association , public relations , psychiatry , botany , artificial intelligence , computer science , political science , law , biology
Internal medicine residency training is demanding and residents can experience a wide variety of professional and personal difficulties. Residency programs everywhere have had and will continue to have problem residents. Training programs should be equipped to effectively identify and manage residents who experience problems. Previous articles that have been published on the topic of problem residents primarily addressed concerns such as impairment due to depression and substance abuse. The content of this article is derived from a comprehensive review of the literature as well as other data sources such as interviews with program directors and workshops at national professional meetings. This article focuses primarily on four issues related to problem residents: their identification, underlying causes, management, and prevention. The study attempts to be evidence‐based, wherever possible, highlighting what is known. Recommendations based on the synthesis of the data are also made. Future ongoing studies of problem residents will improve our understanding of the matters involved, and may ultimately lead to improved outcomes for these trainees.