The Mediating Role of Attending Rapport on Bullying and Medical Trainee Burnout

Background and Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine whether supervisory alliance (eg, rapport with supervisor) mediated the association between perceived bullying and trainee burnout. Methods: We administered electronic surveys to medical trainees (N=108) in a rural teaching hospital. The survey included measures of bullying, burnout, and supervisory rapport. Results: Using Baron and Kenny’s test of mediation with the Sobel test, we found that rapport with supervising attending partially mediated the relationship between bullying and burnout. Conclusions: This study reinforced the role of the attending physician and how perceived rapport may impact burnout. Given the high rate of bullying in medical training and the negative impact of burnout on physicians, further study is warranted to understand other factors that mediate the association between bullying and burnout.