The Correlation of Stress in Residency With Future Stress and Burnout: A 10-Year Prospective Cohort Study

Abstract

Background : Residents and practicing physicians displaying signs of stress is common. It is unclear whether stress during residency persists into professional practice or is associated with future burnout. Objective : We assessed the persistence of stress after residency and its correlation with burnout in professional practice. We hypothesized that stress would linger and be correlated with future burnout. Methods : A prospective cohort study was conducted over 10 years using survey instruments with existing validity evidence. Residents over 3 academic years (2003-2005) were surveyed to measure stress in residency. Ten years later, these residents were sought out for a second survey measuring current stress and burnout in professional practice. Results : From 2003 to 2005, 143 of 155 residents participated in the initial assessment (92% response rate). Of those, 21 were excluded in 2015 due to lack of contact information; follow-up surveys were distributed to 122 participants, and 81 responses were received (66% response rate and 57% of original participants). Emotional distress in residency correlated with emotional distress in professional practice (correlation coefficient = 0.45, P < .0001), emotional exhaustion (correlation coefficient = 0.30, P = .007), and depersonalization (correlation coefficient = 0.25, P = .029). Multivariate linear regression showed that emotional distress in residency was associated with future emotional distress (β estimate = 0.57, P = .005) and depersonalization (β estimate = 2.29, P = .028). Conclusions : We showed emotional distress as a resident persists into individuals' professional practice 10 years later and has an association with burnout in practice.