Resident’s pushed to the brink: A wake-up call to change the healthcare curriculum

Background: Anesthetists experience a lot of stress on a daily basis and they take charge during a health crisis. Unfortunately, mindfulness and coping strategies are rarely taught during training. With the appearance of the COVID-19 pandemic, some might struggle to cope. Our goal was to uncover the prevalence of moderate-severe anxiety, stress, and depression among anesthesia residents during the crisis. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study. We sent a questionnaire to the anesthesia residents enrolled in the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties anesthesia residency program in the western region of Saudi Arabia. This questionnaire included demographic data, concerns and coping methods. We also included questionnaires for stress, anxiety and depression. Results: We achieved a 77% (93 residents) reply rate. Around 25% of the residents had trouble coping. There was a high prevalence of moderate-major stress and depression at 89% and 50% respectively. The biggest concern was contracting the virus (66%), infecting their family members (81.5%), and a delay in graduation as a result of the pandemic (59.8%). There was a statistically significant relationship between living alone and depression. Conclusions: A health crisis can have a serious impact on psychological well-being of anesthetisia residents. It is essential that they are provided with support services ans well as incorporating well-being training into their curriculum. © 2021, American University of Beirut. All rights reserved.