Understanding resident wellness: A path analysis of the clinical learning environment at three institutions

Purpose: The clinical learning environment (CLE) affects resident physician well-being. This study assessed how aspects of the learning environment affected the level of resident job stress and burnout. Materials and methods: Three institutions surveyed residents assessing aspects of the CLE and well-being via anonymous survey in fall of 2020 during COVID. Psychological safety (PS) and perceived organizational support (POS) were used to capture the CLE, and the Mini-Z Scale was used to assess resident job stress and burnout. A total of 2,196 residents received a survey link; 889 responded (40% response rate). Path analysis explored both direct and indirect relationships between PS, POS, resident stress, and resident burnout. Results: Both POS and PS had significant negative relationships with experiencing a great deal of job stress; the relationship between PS and stress was noticeably stronger than POS and stress (POS: B= -0.12, p=.025; PS: B= -0.37, p<.001). The relationship between stress and residents' level of burnout was also significant (B = 0.38, p<.001). The overall model explained 25% of the variance in resident burnout. Conclusions: Organizational support and psychological safety of the learning environment is associated with resident burnout. It is important for educational leaders to recognize and mitigate these factors.