# Resilience, Mental Toughness, and Physical Activity Levels: A Survey of Doctors From Different Generations and Specialities

## TL;DR

Older doctors are more resilient and mentally tough than younger ones, and surgeons report higher resilience and job satisfaction compared to other specialists.

## Contribution

This study is the first to compare resilience, mental toughness, physical activity, and career satisfaction across generations and medical specialties.

## Key findings

- Baby Boomers had higher resilience and mental toughness compared to younger generations.
- Generation Z doctors were more physically active but had lower career satisfaction than older generations.
- Consultant surgeons showed higher resilience and mental toughness than other consultants.

## Abstract

Background

How mental and physical attributes differ between doctors of different generations and specialities is undetermined. We aimed to compare how resilience, mental toughness, physical activity levels, and career satisfaction vary between medical professionals of different generations, specialities, career stages, practice settings, and genders.

Methodology

This was an electronic survey study that compared the Brief Resilience Score (maximum six points), Mental Toughness Index (maximum 56 points), International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form, and career satisfaction (0-100 scale) between doctors and medical students at two affiliated teaching hospitals. All data are presented as median (interquartile range).

Results

In total, 289 medics responded. Baby Boomers (born 1946-1964) (4.2 (3.7, 4.8)) were more resilient than Generation Z (born 1997-2012) (3.8 (3.2, 4.0), p=0.0007), Millennials (born 1981-1996) (3.8 (3.3, 4.2), p=0.0091), and Generation X (born 1965-1980) (4.0 (3.5, 4.2), p = 0.0354). Generation Z (42 (39, 46)) were less mentally tough than Millennials (44 (41, 47), p=0.0330), Generation X (46 (41, 48), p=0.0062), and Baby Boomers (46 (43, 52), p=0.0005). Millennials were less mentally tough than Baby Boomers (p=0.0199). Generation Z were more physically active than Generation X (1,822 (1,052, 3,662) vs. 1,542 (777, 2,586), p=0.0383). Generation Z had lower career satisfaction than Millennials (73 (58, 80) vs. 80 (70, 89), p=0.0094), Generation X (85 (75, 90), p<0.0001), and Baby Boomers (90 (85, 94), p<0.0001). Millennials had lower career satisfaction than Generation X (p=0.0291) and Baby Boomers (p=0.0014), respectively. Medical students were less resilient than consultants(3.7 (3.2, 4.0) vs. 4.0 (3.5, 4.2), p=0.0193). Medical students (41 (38, 47)) and interns (42 (38, 45)) had lower mental toughness than both senior trainees (46.0 (41, 49), p=0.0096 and p=0.0022, respectively) and consultants (46 (41, 48), p=0.0022 and p=0.0005, respectively). Medical students (2,224 (1,370, 4,760) had higher physical activity levels (as defined by the International Physical Activity Questionnaire-Short Form score) than junior trainees (1,386 (731, 2,656), p=0.0038), senior trainees (1,395 (1,065, 3,034), p=0.0327), and consultants (1,533 (820, 2,546), p=0.0017). Career satisfaction increased with career stage (Spearman’s (r=0.3219, 95% CI=0.2075-0.4277, p<0.001). Physician trainees were more satisfied with their careers (as per self-rated 0-100 satisfaction scale) than trainees of “other” (non-physician/non-surgical) specialities (80 (72, 90) vs. 75 (40, 80), p=0.0090). Consultant surgeons (4.2 (4.0, 4.5) and 48 (46, 53)) were more resilient and mentally tougher than consultant physicians (3.8 (3.3, 4.0) and 44 (39, 48), p=0.0002 and p=0.0003, respectively) and consultants of other specialities (3.8 (3.3, 4.2) and 44 (41, 47), p=0.0004 and p<0.0001, respectively). Consultants who worked in both private and public hospitals had greater mental toughness (47 (43, 51) vs. 44 (41, 47), p=0.0153) and career satisfaction (86 (80, 90) vs. 80 (70, 90), p=0.0053) than consultants who worked exclusively in public hospitals.

Conclusions

The present study found that self-reported resilience and mental toughness were the greatest among the Baby Boomers, and declined with subsequent generations. Among consultants, surgeons had the highest resilience and mental toughness scores. Career satisfaction increased with career stage.