Introduction: Resilience can be difficult to conceptualise and little is known about resilience in medical doctors.
Aims: This systematic review discusses the existing literature on influences on resilience levels of medical doctors.
Methods: The bibliographic databases PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO were searched from 2008 to November 2018 using keyword search terms resilience* AND ("medical physician*" OR doctor* OR surgeon* OR medical trainee* or clinician*).
Results: Twenty-four studies were deemed eligible for inclusion. A narrative synthesis was performed. The following influences on resilience in doctors were identified: demographics, personality factors, organisational or environmental factors, social support, leisure activities, overcoming previous adversity and interventions to improve resilience.
Conclusions: Resilience is not limited to a doctor's own personal resource. Published studies also highlight the influence of other modifiable factors.
Keywords: clinician; doctor; physician; psychological wellbeing; resilience (psychological).
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