It is important for neurosurgical residents to take steps to manage their emotions and maintain their well-being during their training. This may include support seeking from mentors or colleagues, practicing self-care techniques such as exercise and meditation, and seeking professional help if needed. Additionally, programs that prioritize resident wellness and provide resources to support residents' mental health can help to mitigate the negative impact of stress and other challenging emotions during neurosurgical training.
Lipsman et al. propose an alternative model of resident development adapted from the developmental psychology literature.
Lipsman et al. model identifies the challenges that must be met at each stage of junior, intermediate, senior, and chief residency, leading ultimately to an “actualized” neurosurgeon (i.e., one who has maximized his or her potential). Failure to overcome any 1 of these challenges can lead to specific long-lasting consequences, including regret, identity crisis, incompetence, and bitterness. In contrast, the actualized surgeon is one who has successfully acquired the virtues of hope, will, purpose, fidelity, productivity, leadership, competence, and wisdom. The actualized surgeon not only functions safely, confidently, and professionally but also successfully navigates the challenges of residency and emerges from them having fulfilled his or her maximal potential.
This developmental perspective provides an individualized description of healthy surgical development. The model allows programs to identify the basis for residents who fail to progress, counsel residents during their training, and perhaps help identify resident candidates who are better prepared to meet the developmental challenges of residency training 1).
see Burnout Management.