What is the impact of COVID-19 on the mental health of Canadian medical residents? Thanks to a grant from the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), we might be one step closer to answering this question, and developing an improved response to meet the mental health needs of this unique group.
“Medical residents have been on the frontlines providing care during this pandemic and they are at increased risk for negative mental health outcomes as a result,” says Dr. Jennifer Phillips, the nominated principal applicant of the grant proposal. Thanks to the new funding, Phillips and her team are able to take a close look at the specific issues, needs, and mental health impacts of COVID-19 on medical residents.
Phillips is an assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the uOttawa Faculty of Medicine and a scientist in the Mood Disorders Research Unit at The Royal’s Institute of Mental Health Research (IMHR). Her research interests are in clinical neuroscience with a focus on depression and suicide prevention.
The year-long study is a partnership between Phillips and Dr. Katerina Nikolitch, a lecturer in the Department of Psychiatry and psychiatrist and clinical investigator in The Royal’s Mood and Anxiety program. Co-applicants from The Royal and the University of Ottawa also include Dr. Zachary Kaminsky, Dr. Rebecca Robillard, Dr. Jeanne Talbot, and residents Dr. Khashayar Shariati, Dr. Esther Carefoot, and Dr. Maurice Sani.
Medical residents who are interested in participating in this study should contact Dr. Maurice Sani at [email protected].
The first part of the study will use an online survey to identify the proportion of residents who are experiencing concerning mental health symptoms.
The team will also be using AI technology to collect data from residents’ public social media posts. This will allow them to go back in time (so to speak) and identify whether or not their mental health has changed as the pandemic has progressed.
“We want to know whether or not the mental health burden has increased for medical residents since the onset of the pandemic,” says Dr. Phillips. “We know that under usual conditions residents experience depression, burnout, and suicidal ideation at higher rates than practicing physicians… what’s unique here is actually trying to determine how best to serve their mental health needs.”
The team will also be interviewing medical residents from the University of Ottawa to find out whether existing mental health services are appropriate, and whether they are encountering any barriers to seeking help. The obstacles preventing residents – and other physicians – from seeking help can be significant. Some worry about reaching out for help for fear of being judged. There are also concerns about confidentiality and professional consequences.
The study will also look at how COVID-19 has impacted residents’ training.
“Some residents may be doing quite well, but nearly all of them have had their training impacted,” says Dr. Phillips. “These are the next generation of physicians in Canada, so it is very important for us to be able to provide information on the impact of that disruption to their training.”
Medical residents make up a significant part of the Canadian health care system. According to Resident Doctors of Canada (RDoC), a not-for-profit organization that represents over 10,000 resident doctors across Canada, there is one medical resident for every five active physicians.
The hope is, of course, that research findings will translate into new strategies to support medical residents, or at the very least, provide a better understanding of their mental health needs during a challenging time.
“It is a unique population whose mental health needs have perhaps been overlooked in the past, and so with or without coronavirus, it’s a very good time to engage in this important research.”
