Effects of Mentorship on Surgery Residents’ Burnout and Well-Being: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

In surgical training, a mentor is a more senior and experienced surgeon who guides a surgical trainee to meet personal, professional, and educational goals. Although mentorship is widely assumed to positively affect surgical residents’ professional development, a more nuanced understanding of mentorship's impact is lacking and urgently needed as burnout rates among residents increase. This study aims to summarize the current literature on the effects of mentorship on surgical residents’ burnout and well-being.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature review was performed with key terms related to “surgical resident” and “mentor” using Pubmed, Embase, and ProQuest databases for primary studies published in the United States or Canada from January 1, 2010 to December 9, 2022 that measured outcomes related to burnout and well-being. Multiple reviewers screened titles and abstracts for relevance, then full-text articles for eligibility.

RESULTS

Initial search resulted in 1,468 unique articles, and 19 articles were included after review. Only one article was a randomized controlled trial. Twelve studies described a decrease in burnout rates or in outcomes related to burnout. In contrast, 4 studies identified negative outcomes related to burnout. Six studies showed improved well-being or related outcomes. One study was not able to show a change in self-valuation between coached and noncoached residents.

CONCLUSION

High quality mentorship can be associated with improved well-being and decreased burnout in surgical residents, but the key elements of effective and helpful mentorship remain poorly characterized. This summary highlights the importance of making mentorship accessible to surgical residents, and training faculty to be effective mentors.