Residents' quality of life during an orthopedic trauma rotation: a multicentre prospective observational study

Objective: Fewer orthopedic surgery trainees are choosing careers in trauma. The impact of stressors on health-related quality of life has not been evaluated among orthopedic surgical residents. The current study aimed to determine predictors of unsatisfactory resident quality of life during trauma rotations. Method: This was a prospective observational study in which we chose orthopedic trauma rotations within 2 training programs at 3 level 1 trauma centres. A sample of 15 orthopedic surgery residents participated in the study. The main outcome measure was the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey taken at baseline, 2 and 6 months into the rotation. Residents ranked level of stress for 15 work-related and 13 individual problems on 5-point Likert scales. Results: The residents ranged from training years 1 through 5, and their mean age was 31 (standard deviation [SD] 2.8) years. Fear of error decreased at 6 months, compared with baseline (p = 0.007). Lack of time for family decreased as a problem at 2 and 6 months, compared with baseline (p = 0.025). Baseline Physical Component Summary scores were above population norms (p = 0.007). At 2 months, scores for the concept role limitations (physical) decreased significantly (p = 0.019), compared with the baseline. Mean Physical Component Summary scores declined from 57.59 (SD 3.51) at baseline to 53.68 (SD 6.50) at 2 months (p = 0.015) and 53.94 (SD 3.52) at 6 months (p = 0.008). At 2 months, mean general health scores significantly decreased, compared with baseline (p = 0.022). Social functioning scores at 6 months were decreased from population norms (p = 0.02). More resident social time was spent with medical people exclusively at 6 months, compared with baseline (p < 0.02). Conclusion: Trauma rotations affect residents’ emotional well-being. Training programs should equip residents with coping strategies to improve quality of life during trauma rotations. Objectif : Moins d’apprenants en chirurgie orthopedique choisissent de faire carriere en traumatologie. On n’a pas evalue l’effet des facteurs de stress sur la qualite de vie reliee a la sante chez les residents en chirurgie orthopedique. L’etude en cours visait a determiner les predicteurs de qualite de vie insatisfaisante chez les residents au cours des stages en traumatologie. Methodes : Au cours de cette etude prospective par observation, nous avons choisi des stages en traumatologie orthopedique organises dans le cadre de 2 programmes de formation donnes a 3 centres de traumatologie de niveau 1. Un echantillon de 15 residents en chirurgie orthopedique a participe a l’etude. La version abregee d’un questionnaire sur la sante (le 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey) comportant 36 questions auxquelles les participants ont repondu au depart, et 2 et 6 mois apres le debut du stage, a constitue la principale mesure de resultats. Les residents ont classe le niveau de stress relie a 15 problemes professionnels et 13 problemes individuels sur des