Resident Autonomy: A Vital Key to Wellness in Surgical Training

In a survey of 7,233 residents across 324 programs, 82.2% reported appropriate autonomy, linking to lower burnout, suicidality, and thoughts of leaving. Female residents were less likely to report adequate autonomy. Satisfaction with workload, work-life balance, faculty engagement, camaraderie, and resources correlated with perceived autonomy. Qualitative insights highlighted autonomy’s crucial role in residency, identified barriers, and emphasized the need for residents to “earn” autonomy. The study calls for equitable resource allocation to support autonomy and well-being in surgical training.