title: Stress-Related Job Analysis for Medical Students on Surgical Wards in Germany.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Working conditions in hospitals generate stress within all professional groups. The aim of this study was to find out how German medical students during their senior student clerkship in surgery perceive their own stress and the stress of surgical residents. This was measured using "Instrument zur stressbezogenen Arbeitsanalyse bei KlinikÃrztInnen (ISAK-K)," a validated questionnaire of the German statutory occupational accident insurance system (BGW).
  
  
  METHODS
  This bi-institutional paper-and-pencil survey was performed on 52 medical students in their sixth year, who had been working in a surgical department for 4 months. Data were compared with those of the BGW on the stress perceived by physicians working in German surgical departments.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The stress levels measured with the ISAK-K were similar in students and in physicians working in surgery. Students believe that surgical residents experience a higher time pressure (p < 0.03). Those students planning a surgical career feel to be more exposed to time pressure (p < 0.01), but to be more free to decide how to work (p < 0.03) than their "nonsurgical" colleagues do. In addition, in contrast to the "nonsurgical" students, students interested in surgery believe that surgical residents have more possibilities to learn at work (p < 0.05) and that they can rely on their supervisors (p < 0.03). All students believe that surgical residents commonly need to take decisions without having enough information (p < 0.05). When compared with the BGW data students overestimate the stress of surgical residents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Students overestimate time pressure and uncertainty of surgical residents. A possible way to increase their interest in surgery is offering a better insight in surgeons' work and strategies to deal with these stressors.
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany. Electronic address: Costanza.Chiapponi@uk-koeln.de.
authors.forename: Costanza
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Chiapponi
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Christine Y
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Abdominal and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Silvia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Heinemann
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Abdominal and Vascular Surgery, University Hospital, Magdeburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Meyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Biberthaler
authors.affiliation: Department of General, Visceral and Cancer Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
authors.forename: Christiane J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Bruns
authors.affiliation: Department of Trauma Surgery, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: Karl-Georg
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Kanz
mesh_terms: D002982:Clinical Clerkship / Q000379:methods*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016272:Occupational Health; D013043:Specialties, Surgical / Q000193:education*; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D013503:Surgery Department, Hospital; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload / Q000523:psychology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Interpersonal and Communication Skills; Patient Care; Professionalism; medical students; resources; stress; surgeons; workload