Aims and Objectives
The third year of emergency medicine specialty training in the UK poses multiple challenges including a step up in clinical responsibility, a large curriculum to cover, and exams that must be completed to progress to year 4. This has contributed to high levels of dissatisfaction and burnout. The attrition from training at the end of this year is much higher than in other years or specialities. Balint groups have been used in mental health and general practice training aiming to develop reflective practice.
Groups meet with a facilitator for 60 to 90 minutes every week or two and talk about difficult patient encounters. Most research on Balint groups shows a positive learner experience and that the groups help develop reflective practice. A small number of studies suggest that Balint groups may also help reduce anxiety and provide relief from stress. Other studies show that they may help with burnout and improve work-related satisfaction.
This study is the first to assess the impact of Balint groups on emergency medicine doctors. It aims to develop a holistic understanding of the impact of the groups, including any impact on resilience, retention, and experience of work.
Method and Design
Semi-structured interviews with Balint group participants, other year 3 emergency medicine trainees, and those involved in delivering the programme. Autoethnography from one Balint group participant.
Preliminary Results and Conclusion
Delivering the programme was feasible, though required organisation and planning.
Participants valued the programme extremely highly: ‘most impactful training I’ve received’. The programme provided time and space to reflect on the difficulties of emergency medicine training. It fostered the development of a close-knit supportive community of peers. As well as developing reflective practice the participants
reported benefits in their ability to deal with challenging interactions in the workplace and improved self-awareness, attributes which they believed help. with resilience and retention.
This study aims to understand the impact of a particular type of educational programme on a specific group of doctors.
The group of doctors are third-year emergency medicine trainees. This year of training poses many challenges. The doctors face a step up in clinical responsibility, they have a large curriculum to cover, and they have exams that must be completed to progress to year 4. This has contributed to this group of doctors reporting high levels of
dissatisfaction and burnout. The attrition of doctors from training at the end of this year is much higher than in other years or specialities.
The educational programme is a Balint group. These have been used for many years in mental health and general practice settings. Doctors meet in groups with a facilitator. Members are invited to talk about difficult patient encounters
