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Outcomes of Emotional Intelligence Training for Surgeons in a Real-World Setting: a Mixed Methods Study
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Outcomes of Emotional Intelligence Training for Surgeons in a Real-World Setting: a Mixed Methods Study

Matthew Rickard, Desiree Kozlowski and Margaret Schnitzler
Journal of surgical education, Vol.80(10), pp.1445-1453
10/2023
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsurg.2023.07.021
PMID: 37612198

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Abstract

emotional intelligence surgeons training nontechnical skills emotional competence professional development interpersonal skills communication Personality and individual differences Professional education and training Professional development and adult education
Objective The objective was to assess, improve and re-assess Emotional Intelligence (EI) in a group of junior and senior surgeons in a real-world setting. Design This was a mixed methods study. An EI education program was delivered through a series of webinars. The program drew from the central concepts of emotional intelligence: Motivation, empathy, social skills, self-knowledge, and self-control. There was also a component of professional development. EI assessment was performed pre- and post-intervention using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and a series of targeted questions. Qualitative assessment was performed by means of structured interviews examining uptake in techniques, understanding of EI, and its effect on personal and professional life. Setting The Australia and New Zealand Training Board in Colorectal Surgery administers a 2-year bi-national training program in teaching hospitals in Australia and New Zealand and runs a series of educational webinars throughout the training program. The “EI series” was part of this educational program. Participants Webinars were attended by 35 junior surgeons and 8 senior surgeons Results Self-perceived knowledge and use of EI increased from a mean of 3.6 to 6.5 (p<0.0001). There was a significant difference between experiential (94) and strategic (101) scores (p=0.005). There was a nonsignificant improvement (98.04-100.6, p=0.16), in the pre-post MSCEIT among the junior surgeons and no change for senior surgeons. Seventy-eight percent (25/32) of surgeons interviewed reported using any new EI strategies. Seventy-five percent actively stopped and considered what other people in a clinical scenario may be thinking; 78% commenced metacognition; 81% practiced the process of self-regulation; 66% had begun to recognise and use emotions as data; and, 47% had actively practiced the process of self-distancing Conclusion This study demonstrated the feasibility and utility of delivering EI training in an online format to a group of time-poor surgeons in a real-world setting.

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