Abstract
Objective
To prospectively study the effects of an incentivized exercise program on physical
activity (PA), quality of life (QOL), and burnout among residents and fellows (RFs)
in a large academic medical center.
Participants and Methods
In January 2011, all RFs at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota (N=1060), were invited
to participate in an elective, team-based, 12-week, incentivized exercise program.
Both participants and nonparticipants had access to the same institutional exercise
facilities. Regardless of participation, all RFs were invited to complete baseline
and follow-up (3-month) assessments of PA, QOL, and burnout.
Results
Of the 628 RFs who completed the baseline survey (59%), only 194 (31%) met the US
Department of Health and Human Services recommendations for PA. Median reported QOL
was 70 on a scale of 1 to 100, and 182 (29%) reported at least weekly burnout symptoms.
A total of 245 individuals (23%) enrolled in the exercise program. No significant
differences were found between program participants and nonparticipants with regard
to baseline demographic characteristics, medical training level, PA, QOL, or burnout.
At study completion, program participants were more likely than nonparticipants to
meet the Department of Health and Human Services recommendations for exercise (48%
vs 23%; P<.001). Quality of life was higher in program participants than in nonparticipants
(median, 75 vs 68; P<.001). Burnout was lower in participants than in nonparticipants, although the difference
was not statistically significant (24% vs 29%; P=.17).
Conclusion
A team-based, incentivized exercise program engaged 23% of RFs at our institution.
After the program, participants had higher PA and QOL than nonparticipants who had
equal exercise facility access. Residents and fellows may be much more sedentary than
previously reported.
Abbreviations and Acronyms:
BMI (body mass index), HHS (Department of Health and Human Services), MBI (Maslach Burnout Inventory), PA (physical activity), QOL (quality of life), RF (resident and fellow)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article Info
Footnotes
Dr Weight graduated from the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education and has since taken a position at another institution.
Grant Support: This study was funded by the Mayo School of Graduate Medical Education .
Identification
Copyright
© 2013 Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
