Examining Osteopathic Medical Students' Perceptions of Social Support

Physician burnout has been an increasingly discussed topic, and is one that has potentially harmful outcomes, including suicide. Research suggests that physician burnout begins in medical school, and may even begin in the preclinical phase of medical school prior to beginning clinical rotations. With this in mind, the investigators sought to determine the perceptions of social support at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine (OU-HCOM). The Interpersonal Support Evaluation List (ISEL) was sent to the student body of OU-HCOM to assess perceptions of social support across all campuses and phases of medical education. Additionally, the investigators requested demographic data to determine if there are significant differences in perceived social support on the basis of race, ethnicity, sexual identity, campus location, phase of medical training, and involvement in student organizations and extracurricular activities.

Upon completion of this session, participants should be able to:

1. Identify the four constructs of social support;
2. Describe the impact of social support on the mental well-being of medical trainees;
3. Identify the factors that affect perceptions of social support.