Educational Interventions for Surgical Residency Wellness

(SECOND Trial)

No longer recruiting at 1 trial location

Overseen By Karl Bilimoria, MD, MS

Age: Any Age

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Indiana University

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to improve the well-being of surgical residents by addressing issues like burnout, discrimination, and harassment in their training programs. It will test whether providing programs with extra resources can create a better learning environment and enhance resident wellness. Programs will either continue as usual or receive these additional resources to determine what works best. Surgical training programs in the United States are eligible to participate.

As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to enhancing the training environment for future surgical residents.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that these educational interventions are safe for surgical residents?

Research has shown that wellness programs in surgery can positively impact trainees' well-being. For instance, one program aimed at improving a surgical residency reduced unnecessary work hours and boosted residents' overall well-being. Although specific side effects are not mentioned, these programs are generally designed to support residents and are considered safe.

In this trial, the treatment involves providing resources and information to enhance the culture and environment of surgical training programs. Previous efforts have not reported any negative effects, focusing instead on improving the learning environment and reducing stress. Due to the nature of these interventions, participants are likely to receive them well. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Educational Interventions for Surgical Residency Wellness because they aim to revolutionize how surgical residents are trained by focusing on their wellness and the learning environment. Unlike traditional methods that mainly emphasize technical skills, this approach allocates resources to enhance the culture and environment of surgical programs, potentially leading to better mental health and job satisfaction among residents. By providing data and resources to improve these aspects, researchers hope to create a more supportive and effective training experience, ultimately improving surgical outcomes.

What evidence suggests that these educational interventions could improve surgical residency wellness?

This trial will compare the effects of resource allocation to improve surgical training program culture with a control group continuing normal educational activities. Research has shown that enhancing surgical training programs with more support and resources can reduce burnout and improve residents' well-being. One study found that when programs offer better resources and support, residents feel more engaged and less stressed. Another study highlighted the importance of strong relationships between faculty and residents for a positive learning environment. Good mentorship and a supportive culture are linked to better well-being for residents. Overall, evidence suggests that investing in these areas can significantly enhance trainees' experiences. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for surgery training programs in the United States. It aims to address issues like burnout, discrimination, harassment, and abuse among surgical residents. There are no specific exclusion criteria mentioned, so all such programs may be eligible.

Inclusion Criteria

Surgery training programs in the United States

Exclusion Criteria

Not applicable.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Report Review and Preparation

Programs receive reports about their learning environment and residents' well-being, review them, form internal teams, and mobilize resources in preparation for receiving the Wellness Toolkit.

2-6 months

Toolkit Dissemination and Implementation

Intervention programs receive the Wellness Toolkit and implementation support to facilitate intervention uptake. Coaching webinars and conferences are held.

6 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in rates of mistreatment and toxic outcomes, with data collected from an annual resident survey.

1 year

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Resource allocation to improve surgery training program culture
• Resource allocation to improve surgical learning environments

Trial Overview The SECOND Trial is testing whether allocating resources to improve the learning environments of surgical residents can reduce negative outcomes like burnout and mistreatment. The study will use national data comparisons and a randomized controlled design.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Arm Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

The intent of the intervention arm is to provide programs with data and resources to inform and improve surgical learning environments and resident wellness.

Group II: Control Arm Active Control 1 Intervention

Programs will continue to conduct normal educational activities.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Indiana University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,063

Recruited

1,182,000+

Northwestern University

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,674

Recruited

989,000+

American College of Surgeons

Collaborator

Trials

18

Recruited

60,400+

American Board of Surgery

Collaborator

Trials

2

Recruited

370+

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education

Collaborator

Trials

5

Recruited

660+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11955102/

The surgical clinical training measurement: developing and ... We present a new tool designed to provide a reliable and consistent framework for evaluating the effectiveness of surgical clinical training.

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6896212/

An Empirical National Assessment of the Learning ... Abstract. Objectives: To empirically describe surgical residency program culture and assess program characteristics associated with program culture.

3. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0002961020306668

Development of a conceptual model for understanding the ... The conceptual model outlines eight domains that contribute to surgical resident well-being: Efficiency and Resources, Faculty Relationships and Engagement, ...

4. onlinelibrary.wiley.com onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/hsr2.2258

Surgical mentorship in low‐resource environments ... This review aims to comprehensively assess the impact of surgical mentorship programs in LMICs and identify challenges and opportunities for their development ...

5. mededu.jmir.org mededu.jmir.org/2025/1/e64767

Evolution of Learning Styles in Surgery Comparing Residents ... This study aimed to determine the learning styles of general surgery residents and professors in a Brazilian teaching hospital and compare the results with the ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12479134/

Wellness interventions in surgery: a scoping review - PMC Studies to date have largely focused on surgical trainees, with a dearth of research on measures to improve staff surgeon wellness.

7. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/37541937/

A Scoping Review of Wellness Programs In Surgery ... Wellness is an established problem in surgical training. This review reveals a small number of published wellness interventions and even ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S193172042300226X

Quality Metrics and Indicators for Surgical Training A scoping review was conducted to identify the metrics used in various sources of knowledge on surgical training quality assurance and improvement.

9. today.ucsd.edu today.ucsd.edu/story/improvement-initiative-increased-well-being-and-reduced-inefficiencies-for-surgical-residents

Improvement Initiative Increased Well-Being and Reduced ... A systemic approach to eliminating inefficiencies in surgical residency programs can reduce unnecessary work hours in the general residency program at UC San ...