Stress-reducing strategies and interventions for gynecology & obstetrics residents: a narrative review

Abstract

As a result of the high levels of stress and burnout in obstetrics and gynecology residents and its negative impact on their personal and professional functioning, and ultimately on the quality of patient care, attention to the health and well-being of this group of medical students has increased. Numerous strategies have been used to help reduce or cope with stress. This study aimed at identifying effective educational strategies to reduce stress in obstetrics and gynecology residents. For this narrative review, we searched ScienceDirect, Emerald, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases for relevant information sources published from 2013 through 2022. This study retrieved 15 stress reduction strategies for obstetrics and gynecology residents from 9 articles that met the inclusion criteria. We established that strategies such as stress management training, resilience training, emotional intelligence training, mindfulness practices, team bonding sessions, feedback and reflection sessions, and access to confidential and free psychotherapy and mentoring programs were effective in improving the well-being of residents in this medical field.