PQ Program Evaluation — Pilot RCT

Protocol 2026P000564 · Slavin Academy funded · Updated Jun 4, 2026 ·
Johanna Lee — PI / first author Jimin Kim — BWH site PI Dan S-K — senior author
Where we are: IRB APPROVED 6/1/2026 — ~4 weeks ahead of target. Consent + recruitment materials stamped in Insight. Build moves to execution with ARC support; recruitment window remains Aug–Sep 2026.
Latest updates

    Milestones

    Work

    Hover any row for detail (owner, effort, notes). Click a group header to collapse it.

    Study at a glance

    PGY4 residents · MGH + BWH n ≤ 60 · optional loved-one dyad Baseline T0 SCS-SF · MBI-GS · PHQ-8 · GAD-7 Randomize 1:1 (by site) PQ program 6 wk · weekly video + daily reps Active control 6 wk · MyCap, time-matched Post T1 (~wk 8–12) Same 4 measures + feasibility / acceptability Unblinded · 1:1 · stratified by site · ~12 wk per participant
    QuestionIs a 6-wk app-based mental-fitness program feasible & acceptable in anesthesiology residents, and what effect sizes does it produce?
    DesignPilot RCT, 2-arm parallel, 1:1, multi-site; participants unblinded, investigators blinded
    BlindingParticipants know their arm; investigators blinded via separation of duties — coord handles all PQ data transfer, not Johanna or Dan
    ComparatorActive control (MyCap), matched for time + attention
    Remuneration$40 (T0) + $60 (T1) = $100 via e-check (per IRB); lifetime PQ access
    TargetJEPM original article (3000 words, 30 refs); present at SEA
    PurposeFeasibility + effect-size data to power a future multi-site efficacy trial

    Outcomes & measures

    Primary Feasibility
    OutcomeSpecific measure
    Recruitment rate% of eligible PGY4 residents who consent
    Dyadic enrollment rate% of consenting residents who enroll a loved one
    Retention rate% of enrolled who complete the T1 assessment
    AdherenceModule completion + daily engagement, from app/platform backend
    Primary Acceptability, appropriateness & feasibility recommended set
    Validated Weiner et al. triad: three 4-item scales, each rated 1 (completely disagree)–5 (completely agree), administered at T1 for both arms. Keeps acceptability cleanly separable from the efficacy signal.
    Measure (4 items, 5-pt)Item stems — "The PQ program…"
    AIM — Acceptability…meets my approval · is appealing to me · I like it · I welcome it
    IAM — Appropriateness…seems fitting · seems suitable · seems applicable · seems like a good match
    FIM — Feasibility…seems implementable · seems possible · seems doable · seems easy to use
    NPS (retained)"How likely are you to recommend this program to a colleague or fellow resident?" (0–10)
    Open-ended (retained)Most beneficial? · Suggested improvements? · Single biggest barrier to completion?
    References. Weiner BJ, et al. Implement Sci. 2017;12:108. PMID 28851459.  ·  Proctor E, et al. Adm Policy Ment Health. 2011;38(2):65–76. PMID 20957426.
    Secondary Preliminary psychological — T0→T1 change by arm (Cohen's d)
    MeasureConstructFormat
    SCS-SFSelf-compassion (planned primary outcome of the future trial)12 items, 5-pt
    MBI-GS (abbrev.)Burnout: exhaustion, cynicism, professional efficacyLikert frequency
    PHQ-8Depressive symptoms8 items, 0–3
    GAD-7Anxiety symptoms7 items, 0–3
    Analysis is descriptive: feasibility/acceptability as percentages; psychological change as effect sizes (Cohen's d, 95% CI). p-values exploratory only (pilot, no a priori power analysis).

    Who's who

    Johanna Lee, MD
    PI & first author
    MGH Anesthesia, Assistant PD. Owns IRB, MyCAP build, recruitment, analysis, and manuscript. Slavin grant PI.
    Jimin Kim, MD
    BWH site PI
    Incoming BWH Anesthesiology PD (7/1/26). Advising + BWH recruitment; limited bandwidth for execution.
    Dan Saddawi-Konefka, MD, MBA
    Senior author / co-I
    Mentor. Methodology, framing, writing, and air cover for resident recruitment via the APD team.
    Julia Smotkin
    ARC coordinator — primary contact
    MGH Anesthesia Research Center. Primary point of contact (6/1). Supports REDCap + MyCap build (testing period before finalize); owns the eCheck/remuneration workflow.
    Ariel Mueller
    ARC Director
    MGH Anesthesia Research Center. Institutional route to coordinator + biostatistician (Slavin-funded); day-to-day now runs through Julia Smotkin.
    Positive Intelligence, Inc.
    Vendor
    Provides the PQ platform free for this and future studies. DUA in progress; receives only participant names + emails to provision access — no study data or outcomes, ever. Not a study collaborator (kept at arm's length to protect blinding).
    Shirzad Chamine
    External stakeholder
    PQ creator. Not on protocol (kept independent). Milestone-only updates; Dan owns that channel.