Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine
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Medical supervisors struggle to find meaningful ways to evaluate the preparedness of trainees to independently perform patient care tasks. The aim of this study was to describe the factors that influence how attending and resident physician perceptions of trust impact decision making. ⋯ Factors influencing trust in a trainee are related to the supervisor, trainee, their relationship, task, and the environment. Attending physicians note early interactions and language cues as markers of trustworthiness. Attending physicians reported using perceived confidence as a gauge of the trainee's true ability and comfort. Attendings noted trainee absences, even those that comply with regulation, negatively affected willingness to entrust. Future studies are needed to develop better assessment instruments to understand how entrustment decisions for independent practice are made.