Crying: experiences and attitudes of third-year medical students and interns.
BACKGROUND
The medical socialization process is emotionally stressful for trainees; anecdotally, crying is a frequent response.


OBJECTIVE
To understand the experiences and attitudes related to crying among 3rd-year medical students and interns.


METHODS
Web-based survey distributed to all 3rd-year medical students and interns at two medical schools and affiliated internal medicine residency programs.


RESULTS
Participation rates were 208/307 (68%) students and 93/126 (74%) interns. Sixty-nine percent of students and 74% of interns self-reported crying for reasons related to medicine. For both, the most common cause was "burnout." Although there were no significant differences in crying between students and interns (p =.38), twice as many women cried as men (93% vs. 44%, p <.001). Seventy-three percent of students and 68% of interns thought discussion of physicians' crying was inadequate.


CONCLUSIONS
Crying is common among medical students and interns, especially women. Many consider it unprofessional to cry in front of patients and colleagues. Trainees want more discussions of crying.
Sung
Anthony D
AD
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Collins
Molly E
ME
Smith
Alexander K
AK
Sanders
Aimee M
AM
Quinn
Mariah A
MA
Block
Susan D
SD
Arnold
Robert M
RM
D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000523:psychology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003448:Crying / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education*; D007396:Internship and Residency; D008297:Male; D012737:Sex Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires