Evaluation of medical physics resident well‐being and satisfaction across multiple residency programs

TL;DR

This study evaluates the well-being and satisfaction of medical physics residents across four programs, finding mostly positive outcomes despite some stress.

Contribution

The paper introduces a validated survey tool for assessing resident well-being and satisfaction in medical physics residency programs.

Findings

Residents reported high levels of job satisfaction and feeling valued by their programs.

Burnout was acknowledged by 20% of respondents, but overall sentiment remained positive.

Free-text comments revealed a strong sense of program support and willingness to recommend the residency.

Abstract

A resident satisfaction and well‐being survey was developed and administered within a Multi‐Institutional Journal Club (MIJC) including therapy medical physics residency programs within the Karmanos Cancer Institute, the University of Maryland, the University of Utah, and the University of Alabama‐Birmingham. The survey was designed as a tool for quality improvement and program evaluation within each individual program. Survey items were derived in part from existing well‐established question inventories and included 26 questions, 4 of which were derived from the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and 12 from the American Psychological Association Work and Well‐being Survey. The survey was administered anonymously via email link annually from 2022 to 2025, and 41 residents responded to the survey during this period. Mean Likert scores for positively keyed survey items (higher score is better) ranged from 4.00/5 to 4.78/5. Mean Likert scores for negatively keyed survey items (lower score is better) ranged from 1.37/5 to 2.71/5. Items were subsequently grouped into five themes: “Burnout,” “Work‐Life Balance,” “Interpersonal Relationships,” “Institutional Values,” and “Job Satisfaction.” Mean scores for these themes were universally positive and ranged from 4.55/5 for “Job Satisfaction” to 3.63/5 for “Work‐Life Balance.” For the “Interpersonal Relationships,” “Institutional Values,” and “Job Satisfaction” themes, 11 of 12 survey items had a median Likert score of 5/5. No respondent indicated a Likert score under ‘3’ for any of the items in the “Job Satisfaction” theme, making it the most consistently positive theme of the survey. Free‐text comments were categorized as “Positive,” “Neutral,” or “Negative.” Of 70 total free‐text comments, 25 (36%) were categorized as “Positive,” 39 (56%) as “Neutral” and 6 (9%) as “Negative.” Approximately 20% of respondents felt a strong sense of burnout or emotional exhaustion. However, nearly 90% felt that their program and program faculty made them feel valued and that they would recommend their residency program to trainees looking for a position. These results compare favorably with previously published data for radiation oncology residents and represent a strong positive sentiment about the characteristics of these residency programs and the residency process itself. While stress and difficulties maintaining work/life balance were clearly acknowledged, quantitative and free‐text comments indicate that the positive aspects of residency training substantially outweigh these negative aspects. The survey has provided a substantial amount of information supporting the success and best practices involved in our programs as well as some constructive negative feedback, which can allow us to further improve our respective programs and potentially serve as a model to help improve medical physics residency training throughout our profession.

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