Internal medicine residents’ perceptions of autonomy and supervision across clinical training sites: A multicenter study

David E. Rink, MD, MPH, Gabrielle Berger, MD, Galant Chan, MD, LeeAnn M. Cox, MD, Megha Garg, MD, MPH, Hussain R. Khawaja, MD, Brian Kwan, MD, Julia Limes, MD, Rosechelle Ruggiero, MD, Noelle C. Sinex, MD, Tyler J. Albert, MD

Summary viewpoints

• Residency training has shifted over time from an autonomy-centered model to one of increased supervision, yet autonomy for trainees’ is increasingly linked to professional development and identity formation.
• Using survey data from nine academic residency programs, we found that residents perceive significant variation in supervision and autonomy across different clinical training sites.
• Attending practices that empower residents as leaders, medical decision-makers, and communicators were associated with increased perceived autonomy.