School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2000, Australia.
Black Dog Institute, Hospital Rd, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia.
BMC Health Serv Res. 2021 Dec 14;21(1):1342. doi: 10.1186/s12913-021-07381-5.
Medical practitioners can experience considerable stress and poor mental health during their careers, with doctors in training known to be particularly vulnerable. Previous research has documented work-related factors that may play a role in the mental health status of junior doctors. However, these and additional factors, need to be explored further by considering theory-driven, social, structural and contextual issues. This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of junior doctors working in Australian hospitals to identify factors that impact their mental health during medical training.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 junior medical officers (JMOs) employed across six hospitals in Australia. Transcribed de-identified interviews were analysed thematically using a data-driven inductive approach.
Four interrelated main themes were identified: i) professional hierarchies; ii) occupational stress; iii) emotional labour, and iv) taking distress home; which detail the complex affective, relational and professional experiences of JMOs. The accounts demonstrate how the social, professional and organisational dimensions of these experiences impact upon trainee's well-being and mental health, both positively and negatively. Together, the findings document the dynamic, nuanced aspects of junior doctors' experiences of medical training and practice and highlights the importance of relational connections and the workplace environment in shaping JMOs' social and emotional well-being.
The current study adds to the understanding of how junior doctors navigate medical training in Australian hospitals and highlights the complexities of this experience, particularly the ways in which mental health and well-being are shaped by different elements. These findings have important implications to inform new strategies to improve JMO mental health and to leverage work and non-work contexts to better support JMOs during medical training.
医疗从业者在职业生涯中可能会经历相当大的压力和心理健康问题，受训医生尤其容易受到影响。先前的研究记录了可能对初级医生心理健康状况起作用的工作相关因素。然而，这些因素以及其他因素，需要通过考虑理论驱动的、社会的、结构的和背景的问题进一步探讨。这项定性研究旨在探讨在澳大利亚医院工作的初级医生的经历，以确定在医学培训期间影响他们心理健康的因素。
对澳大利亚六家医院的 12 名初级医生（JMO）进行了半结构化访谈。使用数据驱动的归纳方法对转录的匿名访谈进行主题分析。
确定了四个相互关联的主要主题：i）专业等级；ii）职业压力；iii）情绪劳动；iv）将困扰带回家；这些主题详细描述了 JMO 的复杂情感、关系和专业经历。这些描述说明了这些经历的社会、专业和组织维度如何积极和消极地影响受训者的幸福感和心理健康。总之，研究结果记录了初级医生在医学培训和实践中的经历的动态、细微差别方面，并强调了关系联系和工作环境在塑造 JMO 的社会和情感福祉方面的重要性。
本研究增加了对澳大利亚医院的初级医生如何应对医学培训的理解，并强调了这种经历的复杂性，特别是心理健康和幸福感是如何被不同因素塑造的。这些发现对制定新的策略以改善 JMO 的心理健康状况以及利用工作和非工作环境在医学培训期间更好地支持 JMO 具有重要意义。
