The emotional intelligence of surgical residents: a descriptive study

Background We assessed educational needs with regard to leadership, communication, and emotional intelligence (EI) among surgical residents. Methods General surgery residents (n = 74) were examined using the BarOn Emotional Quotient Inventory (EQ-i) and a 20-item survey. Results Residents believed that leadership skills were important (mean 4.7, SD .5) and that they had skills in each the five EI areas (overall mean 4.1, SD .8). Both the overall group’s EQ-i scores (mean 106.6, SD 11.6), as well as scores on the 20 components of the EQ-i (range of means 102–110), were higher than national norms. Individuals varied substantially on EQ-i subscale scores. Conclusions Surgical residents believed that leadership skills are important and scored strongly on both an EI self-assessment and the EQ-i. Specific individual differences in subscale scores can potentially identify areas for direct educational intervention.