ABSTRACT
In Europe and the United States, residents develop“burnout syndrome”or depression because of stress, and these conditions are associated with withdrawal from training programs and undesirable clinical outcomes, such as unethical practices.How stress affects Japanese medical residents and their practice is uncertain, as are factors that relieve stress.Furthermore, a theoretical model of stress in Japanese medical resident is uncertain.<BR>1) Focus group interviews were performed for 25 junior residents at 10 institutions to explore their stress reactions and stress-relieving factors.A theoretical model of stress was then constructed.<BR>2) Adverse effects in patient care and in training, in addition to events in daily life, were found to occur as stress reactions.<BR>3) Improvements in the support system and positive feedback from patients were found to be stress-relieving factors.<BR>4) A theoretical model of stress for trainee physicians was constructed and was similar to a general occupational stress model.<BR>5) Stressors should be reduced and stress-relieving factors should be improved to improve the working conditions of residents and the quality of medical care.