Webside manner: assessing the presence of well-being resources on general surgery residency websites
摘要
Applicants increasingly value programs that support interpersonal relationships and family life. With the introduction of program signaling, identifying value-aligned programs early is essential. Websites are key resources for this assessment. This study evaluates family and interpersonal well-being programming on general surgery residency websites, identifying gaps and areas for improvement.
Methods106 general surgery websites were evaluated for program-advertised resources (PAR) supporting resident well-being outside of clinical training. These included publicly available information on mental health, wellness initiatives, team-building events, family support, leave policies, and financial assistance. If resources were listed but linked to non-general surgery sites, they were documented as institution-advertised resources (IAR).
ResultsWellness initiatives were advertised by 75% of programs, half were PARs. Mental health initiatives were listed by 60% of programs; of these, 79% were IARs. Mental health contacts were available 43% of the time (excluding crisis lines). Less than a third of programs mentioned work-life balance. Among the 33 that did, 19 (58%) identified it as a core value without further description. Promotion of family and reproductive support was rare: parental leave (38%), childcare (25%), lactation (14%), family events (13%), spousal groups and/or benefits (9%), reproductive health (9%).
ConclusionA minority of sampled residencies advertise interpersonal and family support programming on their websites. Among those that do, the resources advertised are predominantly hosted on another institutional webpage. There is significant variation in the type of initiatives and resources allocated. Enhancing the visibility and comprehensiveness of resources on program websites holds potential for improving recruitment and future well-being of trainees.