Job overwhelm, financial cost, lack of time, focus and are private life are some of the challenges faced by the medical community.
As an example, withdrawal from surgical training is costly and undesirable for both individuals and programmes. Surgical trainees use various strategies to help them to cope with the demands of their intensive training and choosing to leave is the strategy used by some.
It is important that surgical colleges and programmes develop a culture whereby trainee work–life balance and well-being are promoted. Interventions that foster this, as identified from the literature, include the provision of stress identification and management strategies to all surgical trainees through their curriculum. There are notable roles for training and career mentorship and the provision of wellness programmes; promotion of social interaction and inclusion with peers; and psychological support and development of the individual including their values and self-awareness. Happy carers equals happy patients equals good health outcomes.
