The Surgical Education Culture Optimization Through Targeted Interventions Based on National Comparative Data - "The SECOND Trial"

NCT03739723 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: SECOND Trial
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 215
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Due to a number of factors, residents are susceptible to mistreatment (i.e., discrimination, harassment, and abuse) and toxic outcomes (i.e., burnout, attrition, and suicidality). Our work following the FIRST Trial identified considerable variation in program-level rates of resident-reported burnout, gender discrimination, racial discrimination, sexual harassment, and verbal abuse. To investigate these issues, the SECOND Trial will include a national mixed-methods analysis of and a pragmatic cluster-randomized controlled trial to improve the resident learning environment and trainee wellness.

Conditions

Surgical Residency; Workplace Culture; Mistreatment; Burnout

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Burnout

  The primary outcome for the trial is reported rates of general surgery resident burnout.

  1 Year

Study Arms (2)

Control Arm

NO INTERVENTION

Programs will continue to conduct normal educational activities.

Intervention Arm

EXPERIMENTAL

The intent of the intervention arm is to provide programs with data and resources to inform and improve surgical learning environments and resident wellness.

Other: Resource allocation to improve surgical learning environments

Interventions

Resource allocation to improve surgical learning environments OTHER

If a hospital/program is assigned to the intervention arm, they will receive numerous resources including a program-specific learning environment and resident well-being report, a Wellness Toolkit, coaching webinars, and in-person/virtual conferences to help improve their surgery learning environment and residents' well-being.

Intervention Arm

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Surgery training programs in the United States

You may not qualify if:

• None

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Indiana University: lead
• American College of Surgeons: collaborator
• American Board of Surgery: collaborator
• Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Indiana University Surgical Outcomes and Quality Improvement Center

Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Janczewski LM, Buchheit JT, Golisch KB, Amortegui D, Mackiewicz N, Eng JS, Turner PL, Johnson JK, Bilimoria KY, Hu YY. Contemporary Evaluation of Work-Life Integration and Well-Being in US Surgical Residents: A National Mixed-Methods Study. J Am Coll Surg. 2024 Dec 1;239(6):515-526. doi: 10.1097/XCS.0000000000001135. Epub 2024 Nov 15.

  PMID: 38920301 DERIVED

Related Links

• Flexibility In duty hour Requirements for Surgical Trainees Trial - "The FIRST Trial"
• Surgical Education Culture Optimization through targeted interventions based on National comparative Data (SECOND) Trial

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Burnout, Psychological

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Stress, Psychological; Behavioral Symptoms; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Surgery

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 9, 2018
• First Posted: November 14, 2018
• Study Start: June 1, 2019
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2024
• Study Completion: December 31, 2024
• Last Updated: April 15, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Locations

US (1)