APMA News - June 2013 - (Page 24)

Emotional Intelligence and Residency Education BY JEFFREY M. ROBBINS, DPM Council on Teaching Hospitals, American Association of Colleges of Podiatric Medicine R esidency programs have multiple and profound responsibilities. They serve as the ultimate and final training ground for the next generation of healthcare providers. They also serve as a bellwether to protect the public from providers who are not ready for independent practice. Most authorities agree, however, that our residency programs do not adequately teach or assess non-cognitive skills, such as emotional intelligence (EI). This article will provide a rationale and framework to incorporate EI concepts and principles into resident selection and training. Emotional intelligence principles have evolved since the 1930s when the concept of “social intelligence” was introduced by Edward Thorndike as the ability to “get along with other people.” In the 1940s, David Wechsler built upon this work and suggested that social intelligence skills may be “essential to success in life.” Howard Gardner suggested in the 1970s that people can display “multiple intelligences,” and in Emotional intelligence matters in the health-care setting. A provider with emotional intelligence can have a huge impact on a patient—and his or her colleagues. It’s important to instill that concept in our residents. the 1980s, Wayne Payne and Reuven Bar-On used the term “emotional intelligence” to describe this non-cognitive concept. In 1990, Peter Salovey and John Mayer published “Emotional Intelligence,” which was followed by Daniel Goleman’s book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Emotional intelligence matters in the health-care setting. A provider with emotional intelligence can have a huge impact on a patient—and his or her colleagues. It’s important to instill that concept in our residents. In our program at Louis Stokes Cleveland Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, we advise all staff members that part of their job is to ensure every patient has the best experience he or she can 24 APMA News June 2013 have and that their fellow employees have the best experience they can have. Creating that culture of emotional intelligence requires a commitment to training on the part of the program director and faculty. We had one resident, for example, who was having trouble at home and brought a very negative attitude to the workplace. He was curt with patients and intolerant of his coworkers. Rather than simply reflecting his resistant attitude back to him and demanding that he comply, we counseled him on the benefits of our policy about using emotional intelligence to create positive experiences for him, for the staff, for the service, and for the hospital. We recognize that our personal lives often merge into our work lives, so we provided a “safe place” for the resident to share his frustrations (the chief’s office) with the understanding that he would not continue to unload them on patients or fellow employees. In the end, this resident came to appreciate the benefits of our policy. Teaching Emotional Intelligence Salovey and Mayer postulated that vocational (and other) success depends on having key attitudinal attributes in addition to appropriate levels of knowledge and skill: 1. 2. 3. 4. Self-motivation Persistence in the face of frustrations Control of impulses and ability to delay gratification Ability to regulate moods in order to maintain clear thinking 5. Empathy and hope Solleri et al. used a more general definition of EI as “the ability to understand and manage oneself and to understand others and manage relationships.” They also advocated for more leadership skills in training programs to include collaboration skills and at least some attention to general leadership skills in addition to the traditional clinical and academic skills.ii Currently Taylor et al. are using the EI model to develop a specific curriculum to teach residents professionalism. They recognized, as others have, that of all the competencies expected of residents, professionalism has the least structure.

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of APMA News - June 2013

APMA News - June 2013
President’s Message
Table of Contents
The Boston Marathon Bombings: Podiatrists on the Front Line
Committee Nominations Requested
What’s the Deal with Biomechanics? How One APMA Member Helped Jerry Seinfeld End Years of Pain
The New Wave of HIPAA Changes: The Final Omnibus Rule of 2013
APMA State Advocacy Forum
Resolutions Submission Deadlines
Emotional Intelligence and Residency Education
Practice Survey Data: Practice Owner Type
It’s All Happening at The National!
Annual Scientific Meeting Registration Forms
Annual Scientific Meeting Sponsors
APMAPAC Chair Report
Coverage Corner
IT Consultant
Inside APMA’s Social Media
Bylaws Propositions Due
Website Wisdom
On the Road with APMA
Small Business 101
CPME Update
Young Physicians’ Accomplishments
Worthy of Note
Affiliates Corner
New Members
Death Notices
APMAPAC Update
Development Update
Classified Advertising
Dates to Remember
Advertising Index
10 Questions
Your APMA

APMA News - June 2013