Resident Physicians as Patients: Perceptions of Residents and Their Teaching Physicians.

Objective: This study aims to broaden understanding into the process by which resident physicians deal with illness and to identify areas for improvement regarding healthcare of residents and teaching physicians training to support them adequately.

Methods: A qualitative study of ten semi-structured interviews with residents who had suffered a serious illness and a focus group of teaching physicians were conducted. Analysis of the interview transcripts was performed using the grounded theory approach, with information divided into five categories: Differences between residents as patients and general patients; confidentiality; feelings and attitudes; learning from illness; and impact on work and training.