title: Relationship between increased personal well-being and enhanced empathy among internal medicine residents.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While resident distress and its potential to negatively effect patient care have been well documented, little is known bout resident well-being or its potential to enhance care.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We measured resident well-being and explored its relationship with empathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anonymous, cross-sectional survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  Internal medicine residents at Mayo Clinic Rochester (n=165, summer 2003).
  
  
  METHODS
  Well-being was measured using the previously validated Medical Outcomes Study 8-item Short Form (SF-8). Empathy was measured using the previously validated Perspective Taking (PT) and Empathetic Concerns (EC) Sub-scales of the Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eighty-three (50%) residents responded to the survey. Mean scores for well-being as measured by the SF-8 were comparable to the general population, and empathy scores on the IRI were similar to other resident samples. Resident empathy on both the cognitive (PT) and emotive (EC) sub-scales of the IRI was higher for residents with higher mental well-being on the SF-8; however, this difference was statistically significant only for the cognitive sub-scale. The importance of a number of personal wellness promotion strategies differed for residents with higher mental well-being on the SF-8.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High mental well-being was associated with enhanced resident empathy in this cross-sectional survey. Future studies need to explore the potential for high resident well-being to enhance medical care and competency in addition to exploring the negative consequences of resident distress. Studies investigating how to promote resident well-being are needed.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn., USA. shanafelt.tait@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Tait D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Shanafelt
authors.forename: Colin
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: West
authors.forename: Xinghua
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Paul
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Novotny
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kolars
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Habermann
authors.forename: Jeff
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Sloan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D005791:Patient Care / Q000523:psychology*; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D010820:Physicians / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires