Changing the culture from the bottom Up: Results of a resident-led ergonomics quality improvement initiative.

Background: Poor ergonomic habits in residency contribute to musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders later in a surgeon's career. Despite growing awareness, formal ergonomics training is limited. This study implemented a resident-led ergonomics curriculum to assess its impact on resident habits.

Methods: A 1-h educational session covering MSK disorders, microbreaks, and ergonomics best practices was delivered to general surgery residents. The session included active demonstrations, pre- and post-lecture knowledge assessments, and surveys on ergonomic practices. Follow-up assessments were conducted at 4 months and 1 year.

Results: Among 26 attendees, knowledge scores improved by 16.8 ​% (p ​= ​0.001). At 4-month follow-up 26.7 ​% adopted microbreaks and 46.7 ​% implemented ergonomic exercises into their regular routine. At 1 year, adoption of practices remained similar, with time constraints and faculty disapproval as common barriers.

Conclusion: The curriculum improved ergonomics awareness and practices, but more robust adoption of ergonomic techniques and microbreaks remains limited largely due to hierarchical barriers and time constraints.