#2-47E. Healing the Healers: Peer Storytelling for Resident Recovery After Medical Errors (JGIM, 2025)

How do we effectively support resident physicians dealing with the severe emotional distress, often termed "Second Victim Syndrome," that follows a medical error? This study evaluated a single, peer-led, storytelling workshop grounded in constructivist learning theory among PGY1 Internal Medicine residents at two programs. The intervention aimed to enhance residents' comfort with, and skills for, handling the psychological impact of medical errors. The results demonstrated a statistically significant increase in self-reported skills for both recognizing (41% pre- to 75% post-) and overcoming (37% pre- to 76% post-) the emotional consequences of errors. The most critical finding is the sustainability and efficiency of the intervention: this brief, one-hour curriculum showed positive effects that persisted for one year, with over half of respondents reporting that the session changed their coping response. This represents a much-needed, cost-effective, and highly adaptable method for resident training. However, when evaluating these results, physicians should bear in mind the limitation of the relatively small sample size (68 participants) and the use of unlinked pre- and post-survey data at one participating site. Nevertheless, this curriculum offers immediate, actionable evidence for establishing essential peer support systems to improve physician well-being and professional resilience in the clinical setting.

Citation: Azim, A., et al. Impact of a Multi‑site Peer‑led, Storytelling‑based Workshop to Teach Resident Physicians About Healing After Medical Errors. Journal of General Internal Medicine. 2025. DOI: 10.1007/s11606-025-09689-y

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