Non-surgical residents’ experiences of relationships, identity, and burnout during residency in the United States: a qualitative study

PURPOSE: This study explored non-surgical residents' and their domestic partners' perceptions of how residency affected their lives and relationships through semi-structured interviews. METHODS: This qualitative study consisted of 10 semi-structured interviews with non-surgical residents at a single institution and 3 interviews with domestic partners. Residents from Child Neurology, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Psychiatry were represented. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and collaboratively coded using Atlas.ti ver. 22.0. Themes were identified using team-based thematic analysis. RESULTS: Analysis of the interviews yielded 4 themes: (1) residency training results in noticeable changes in personality traits; (2) residency affects life beyond the workplace; (3) residents and their domestic partners employ strategies to support relationship success during residency; and (4) residency program interventions may support well-being. CONCLUSION: This study found that residency training was perceived to affect residents, domestic partners, and their relationships in both beneficial and challenging ways. Residents' domestic partners remain a valuable yet underutilized resource for learning more about the residency experience.