Exploring interventions for fostering resilience among medical educators

Abstract

Introduction: Resilience is essential for medical educators to fulfil their responsibilities. While research often focuses on individual well-being programs, less is known about how resilience is shaped by systemic and institutional interventions, particularly across diverse cultural contexts. This study explores interventions perceived by Hong Kong (HK) medical educators as fostering their resilience. Methods: Participants were purposively sampled across socio-demographic characteristics collected via an online survey. Twenty medical educators from two HK medical schools participated in video-recorded, semi-structured online interviews. Transcripts were anonymized and an abductive reflective thematic analysis was conducted. Researchers iteratively engaged with Bronfenbrenner’s Process-Person-Context-Time (PPCT) model to deepen interpretation. Results: Nine interrelated themes were identified across four PPCT domains. Resilience was shaped by personal reflection and self-care (Person); supportive relationships and communication (Process); institutional conditions (Context); and changes across life stages plus external events (Time). Process- and Context-level interventions were perceived as essential for fostering medical educators’ resilience. Discussion/Conclusion: The findings underscore the importance of designing resilience interventions that address relational, institutional, systemic and cultural dimensions. Key areas include professional recognition, communication, resource allocation, and psychologically safe environments. Understanding culturally- and contextually-specific experiences of resilience may assist in crafting fit-for-purpose resilience interventions for educators in multicultural environments.