STRess Assessment of INterventional Cardiology Fellows and Attendings

STRess Assessment of INterventional Cardiology Fellows and Attendings

Interventional cardiology (IC) fellows and attendings experience high levels of stress. In a recent study, IC fellowship was considered very stressful by 22%, somewhat stressful by 62%, and not stressful by 16%(1). In a different study, 29% of the IC fellows considered leaving their job during the past year, while more than a quarter (29%) felt overwhelmed ≥3x/week(2). Moreover, the same study reports that burnout affects 69% of the interventional cardiologists. In addition, in the Medscape Cardiologist Lifestyle, Happiness & Burnout Report 2023, 43% of the cardiologists in general reported being burned out and 23% were depressed(3). However, it remains unknown whether they deal with increased stress before, during, and after a procedure, if their stress decreases (and if so, how much) with experience, and how they recover after a procedure. The present study will study the stress levels of IC fellows and attendings using various subjective metrics and wearable devices.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Interventional Cardiology fellow or attending.
2. Age 18 years or older.
3. Willing and able to provide informed consent.
4. Access to smartphone (Apple or Android platform).
5. Willing and able to wear the wearable devices.

Exclusion Criteria:

1- Any health condition that in the opinion of the investigator would preclude individual's participation in the study such as conditions that would preclude them from wearing the study wearables and participating to provide wearable data.