Narrative Medicine Workshops for Emergency Medicine Residents: Effects on Empathy and Burnout

This was a quasi-experimental, prospective study conducted at two urban, three-year residency programs to evaluate (1) the effect of narrative medicine workshops on EM resident burnout and empathy and (2) resident perceptions of the workshops. Residents at both sites were asked to complete the abbreviated Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI) and a single-item burnout measure at three time points. Intervention residents also completed feedback surveys. Differences in IRI subscores and burnout scores were evaluated using multilevel regression modeling. Twenty-eight (46.7%) control and 48 (100%) intervention residents responded to at least one survey. At both sites, empathy remained unchanged. Residents at the intervention site had significantly lower burnout at the post-intervention period (p<0.001). Higher PGY-level (p<0.001) and later time of the academic year (p<0.001) predicted higher burnout. Most residents (n=20, 83.3%) agreed that the workshops should be a standard part of didactics. Residents at a site that incorporated narrative medicine workshops were protected from worsening burnout over time, suggesting that skills learned in these workshops may prevent burnout. These humanities-focused workshops were well-received by residents and may fill a gap in their holistic education.