Supporting the Resident Doctor When Their Personal and Professional Values and Morals Are Challenged

Challenges to personal and professional values and morals are commonly experienced by resident doctors during clinical practice, with an associated psychological reaction. This psychological reaction is on a continuum, ranging from transient discomfort, and in repeated cases, to moral distress and moral injury. This educational guidance article offers several practical approaches for clinical educators to support resident doctors when their values and morals have been challenged. Three complementary approaches are described: debriefing, speaking up to address systemic factors and psychological support. These approaches address the important individual and systemic factors associated with values and moral challenges, with associated benefits for wellbeing and quality of patient care.