Browsing by Author "Robertson, Kyle A."

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    Experiences of Residency Program Directors in Their Roles: Exploring Well-Being Through Burnout and Engagement
    (2022-11) Robertson, Kyle A.; Byram, Jessica N.; Hayes, Cleveland; Agosto, Elizabeth R.; McNulty, Margaret A.; Organ, Jason M.
    Recent literature on well-being of physicians in general, and residency program directors (PD) specifically, has demonstrated those meeting the criteria of burnout reaching almost 50% in physicians, and 20-30% in PDs. However, few studies have explored engagement, or the positive or meaningful aspects, in physicians and no studies have explored engagement in the PD and Assistant PD community. Therefore, this study employed a qualitative approach to explore the experiences of PDs and APDs as they encountered burnout, engagement, and every combination in between through their multifaceted, roles, responsibilities, and tasks embedded in their institutional context and personal lives. Phase 1 participants (n=3) included two PDs and one APD from Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM). Participants in Phase 1 took part in three semi-structured interviews at 6-month intervals, and direct observations in their clinical, administrative, and education roles. Phase 2 participants (n=5) were PDs from IUSM who completed a single semi-structured interview based on preliminary results and exploration of Phase 1 participants’ experiences. Interviews and field notes from observations were analyzed using inductive thematic analysis, followed by a deductive application of Job Demands-Resources (JD-R) theory. Document analysis was incorporated to add context, understanding, and a rich description of the participants’ experiences. This study found multiple sub-themes situated within four major themes: It Takes a Village, Integration of the “Hats” They Wear, Motivation and the Meaning of Their Career, and Coping. Exploring the sub-themes to JD-R theory allowed contextualization of how job demands, job resources, personal resources, absence of resources, job crafting, recovery, self-undermining, and strain, interact to add context, nuance, and broader conceptualization of how PD and APD experienced their multifaceted roles. This study provides a rich description of the experiences of PDs and APDs embedded in their social context of roles, tasks, and responsibilities. These results indicated that understanding how the individual experiences their job demands as they interact with their experiences of job and personal resources, and how the individual proactively engages with their environment through job crafting and recovery enables for a nuanced appreciation of engagement and burnout.
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    First patient project: Engaging pathology through the donor dissection experience and its role in professionalism
    (Wiley, 2024-01) Robertson, Kyle A.; Organ, Jason M.; Yard, Michael; Byram, Jessica N.; Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, School of Medicine
    The peer-reviewed anatomical education literature thoroughly describes the benefits and drawbacks of donor dissection. Gross anatomy laboratory environments utilizing donor dissection are generally considered to be a premier environment where students foster non-traditional discipline-independent skills (NTDIS), including the acquisition of professionalism, empathy, resilience, emotional intelligence, and situational awareness. Therefore, this IRB-approved study explored the impact of a formal humanism and pathology thread, the first patient project (FPP), on the personal and professional development of pre-professional undergraduate students in a gross anatomy dissection-based course. Five reflections from each student were collected across four cohorts (n = 74 students, 370 reflections). A post-course questionnaire collected data on student perceptions of the project. The framework method was used to analyze reflection and free response data and descriptive statistics were performed on Likert-style items using Excel. Three themes were identified to encompass the impacts of the FPP on professional development and include: Socialization (through collective dissection experience and pathology), Humanistic Qualities (respect for the donor and their history, and introspection), and Content and Skills (technical and NTDIS, anatomical knowledge). The end of course FPP survey was completed by 29 students across three cohorts (65%) and their perspectives were generally favorable regarding the promotion of respect, empathy, and humanization of their donors. This study underscores the value of incorporating humanism, pathology, and reflection, facilitated through formal curriculum for pre-professional undergraduate students. It provides evidence of the positive impact on their personal and professional development, supporting the integration of NTDIS in curricula across various disciplines.