Burnout Among Resident Physicians - The Impact of Workplace Culture
Benjamin Doolittle, M.D., MDiv, Associate Professor, Internal Medicine & Pediatrics, Yale University School of Medicine
Burnout among physicians ranges between 40-70%. There are several demographic factors that are associated with lower burnout prevalence such as older age, being married with children, less patient contact, less work hours, and certain specialties that emphasize a work-life balance. Spirituality and religion have also been shown to correlate with lower burnout prevalence. Also, there are several emotional coping strategies that are also associated with lower burnout. Namely, optimism, acceptance, resilience, positive reframing, and strategic planning correlates with lower burnout prevalence.
However, little is known about the effect of work-place culture upon physician burnout. While an individual’s inner resources may modulate burnout, the external milieu also may correlate significantly. In particular, the perceived support of the institution, program, and workplace friendship may be a significant variable.
This study explores physician burnout among internal medicine residents at an academic medical center and its association with workplace culture, including institutional and program support, spirituality and religion, and workplace friendship.
60/148 (41%) of residents completed an anonymous, confidential survey. The institution’s Institutional Review Board approved the study. The prevalence of burnout was 18/60 (30%). 37/60 (62%%) consider themselves spiritual. 13/60 (22%) consider themselves religious. 50/60 (83%) believe that the institution supports them “somewhat” or a “great deal.” 56/60 (93%) believe that their residency program supports them “somewhat” or a “great deal.” 55/60 (92%)believe that their workplace friendships support them “somewhat” or a “great deal.”
Demographic variables – such as ethnicity, gender, age – religion and spirituality, grit, program, and institution and programmatic support were not significantly correlated with burnout. In part, this lack of correlation may be due to the uniformly high sense of support this residency program experiences, as well as the relatively lower prevalence of burnout when compared to national averages. Factors that influence the prevalence of burnout and other possible variables that modulate burnout will be a point of discussion in this presentation.
Burnout among physicians ranges between 40-70%. There are several demographic factors that are associated with lower burnout prevalence such as older age, being married with children, less patient contact, less work hours, and certain specialties that emphasize a work-life balance. Spirituality and religion have also been shown to correlate with lower burnout prevalence. Also, there are several emotional coping strategies that are also associated with lower burnout. Namely, optimism, acceptance, resilience, positive reframing, and strategic planning correlates with lower burnout prevalence.
However, little is known about the effect of work-place culture upon physician burnout. While an individual’s inner resources may modulate burnout, the external milieu also may correlate significantly. In particular, the perceived support of the institution, program, and workplace friendship may be a significant variable.
This study explores physician burnout among internal medicine residents at an academic medical center and its association with workplace culture, including institutional and program support, spirituality and religion, and workplace friendship.
60/148 (41%) of residents completed an anonymous, confidential survey. The institution’s Institutional Review Board approved the study. The prevalence of burnout was 18/60 (30%). 37/60 (62%%) consider themselves spiritual. 13/60 (22%) consider themselves religious. 50/60 (83%) believe that the institution supports them “somewhat” or a “great deal.” 56/60 (93%) believe that their residency program supports them “somewhat” or a “great deal.” 55/60 (92%)believe that their workplace friendships support them “somewhat” or a “great deal.”
Demographic variables – such as ethnicity, gender, age – religion and spirituality, grit, program, and institution and programmatic support were not significantly correlated with burnout. In part, this lack of correlation may be due to the uniformly high sense of support this residency program experiences, as well as the relatively lower prevalence of burnout when compared to national averages. Factors that influence the prevalence of burnout and other possible variables that modulate burnout will be a point of discussion in this presentation.