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More than half of all pediatric residents report feeling burned out, in a trend that has now reached 3 years.
“The stable 54%-56% rate of burnout found during 2016-2018 in this study is similar to burnout rates previously reported in U.S. studies of pediatric residents,” Kathi Kemper, MD, Ohio State University, Columbus, and colleagues wrote (Pediatrics. 2019 Dec. 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-1030).
The “alarming rate of physician burnout is a call to action on behalf of current trainees and future generations of doctors,” Jeanine Ronan, MD, of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said in an accompanying editorial (Pediatrics. 2019 Dec. 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-3210), adding that “although this concern was identified more than a decade ago, little progress has been made.”
The findings were based on the Pediatric Resident Burnout and Resilience Study Consortium surveys completed at 34 residency programs in 2016 (1,664 residents participated in the survey), 43 in 2017 (2,153 participated), and 49 in 2018 (2,241 participated). The 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey was used to assess burnout.
However, researchers noted that there were “no consistent significant differences between residents meeting criteria for burnout and those not meeting criteria for burnout in terms of any demographic characteristic,” the authors added.
For example, residency year and program size were associated with burnout in some years but not others.
There “were significant differences in burnout rates among postgraduate year 1 (PGY1), postgraduate year 2 (PGY2), and postgraduate year 3 (PGY3) in 2016 and 2017, but not in 2018,” the authors stated.
For 2016, burnout rates in PGY1, PGY2 and PGY3 were 36%, 34%, and 30%, respectively. In 2017, the rates changed to 33%, 36%, and 31%, respectively, while in 2018, the rates were reported to be 35% in the first postgraduate year and 33% each for the second and third postgraduate years.
Other findings from the survey revealed that residents who met the criteria for burnout reported worse mental health, more sleepiness, and greater stress, as well as lower mindfulness and self-compassion scores, less confidence in providing compassionate care, and lower levels of empathy and resilience.
“Residents who met the criteria for burnout were more likely to be on high-acuity rotations,” the Dr. Kemper and colleagues observed. “They were approximately twice as likely to report recently having made a medical error, more likely to report a work-life conflict, less likely to have had a vacation within the past month, and less likely to have had a recent weekend off than those who did not meet the criteria for burnout.
Additionally, residents reporting burnout “consistently reported significantly less satisfaction with support from family, spouse, friends, faculty, and colleagues,” the report states. “They also reported significantly lower quality of life, less satisfaction with their choice to go into pediatrics, and less satisfaction with their balance between personal and professional life.”
Dr. Ronan also noted that the survey “showed the negative impact of the environment on trainee performance and ability to cope with stress. Residency training programs should evaluate different scheduling and staffing models to determine if there are opportunities to enhance the learning environment.”
She also noted that given the link between electronic health record usage and administrative tasks and burnout, lessening administrative task burden on trainees may help decrease the rate of burnout.
Dr. Ronan added that mental health services also must be made readily available to trainees.
“The high burnout rate among pediatric residents must be addressed,” she said. “A comprehensive approach would include developing evidence-based training in mindfulness and coping techniques for the individual resident, an institutional approach to improve resident engagement and increase joy in the workplace, and the availability of mental health services when needed to address both urgent and chronic concerns.”
SOURCE: Kemper K et al. Pediatrics 2019 Dec 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-1030.
More than half of all pediatric residents report feeling burned out, in a trend that has now reached 3 years.
“The stable 54%-56% rate of burnout found during 2016-2018 in this study is similar to burnout rates previously reported in U.S. studies of pediatric residents,” Kathi Kemper, MD, Ohio State University, Columbus, and colleagues wrote (Pediatrics. 2019 Dec. 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-1030).
The “alarming rate of physician burnout is a call to action on behalf of current trainees and future generations of doctors,” Jeanine Ronan, MD, of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said in an accompanying editorial (Pediatrics. 2019 Dec. 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-3210), adding that “although this concern was identified more than a decade ago, little progress has been made.”
The findings were based on the Pediatric Resident Burnout and Resilience Study Consortium surveys completed at 34 residency programs in 2016 (1,664 residents participated in the survey), 43 in 2017 (2,153 participated), and 49 in 2018 (2,241 participated). The 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey was used to assess burnout.
However, researchers noted that there were “no consistent significant differences between residents meeting criteria for burnout and those not meeting criteria for burnout in terms of any demographic characteristic,” the authors added.
For example, residency year and program size were associated with burnout in some years but not others.
There “were significant differences in burnout rates among postgraduate year 1 (PGY1), postgraduate year 2 (PGY2), and postgraduate year 3 (PGY3) in 2016 and 2017, but not in 2018,” the authors stated.
For 2016, burnout rates in PGY1, PGY2 and PGY3 were 36%, 34%, and 30%, respectively. In 2017, the rates changed to 33%, 36%, and 31%, respectively, while in 2018, the rates were reported to be 35% in the first postgraduate year and 33% each for the second and third postgraduate years.
Other findings from the survey revealed that residents who met the criteria for burnout reported worse mental health, more sleepiness, and greater stress, as well as lower mindfulness and self-compassion scores, less confidence in providing compassionate care, and lower levels of empathy and resilience.
“Residents who met the criteria for burnout were more likely to be on high-acuity rotations,” the Dr. Kemper and colleagues observed. “They were approximately twice as likely to report recently having made a medical error, more likely to report a work-life conflict, less likely to have had a vacation within the past month, and less likely to have had a recent weekend off than those who did not meet the criteria for burnout.
Additionally, residents reporting burnout “consistently reported significantly less satisfaction with support from family, spouse, friends, faculty, and colleagues,” the report states. “They also reported significantly lower quality of life, less satisfaction with their choice to go into pediatrics, and less satisfaction with their balance between personal and professional life.”
Dr. Ronan also noted that the survey “showed the negative impact of the environment on trainee performance and ability to cope with stress. Residency training programs should evaluate different scheduling and staffing models to determine if there are opportunities to enhance the learning environment.”
She also noted that given the link between electronic health record usage and administrative tasks and burnout, lessening administrative task burden on trainees may help decrease the rate of burnout.
Dr. Ronan added that mental health services also must be made readily available to trainees.
“The high burnout rate among pediatric residents must be addressed,” she said. “A comprehensive approach would include developing evidence-based training in mindfulness and coping techniques for the individual resident, an institutional approach to improve resident engagement and increase joy in the workplace, and the availability of mental health services when needed to address both urgent and chronic concerns.”
SOURCE: Kemper K et al. Pediatrics 2019 Dec 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-1030.
More than half of all pediatric residents report feeling burned out, in a trend that has now reached 3 years.
“The stable 54%-56% rate of burnout found during 2016-2018 in this study is similar to burnout rates previously reported in U.S. studies of pediatric residents,” Kathi Kemper, MD, Ohio State University, Columbus, and colleagues wrote (Pediatrics. 2019 Dec. 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-1030).
The “alarming rate of physician burnout is a call to action on behalf of current trainees and future generations of doctors,” Jeanine Ronan, MD, of Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, said in an accompanying editorial (Pediatrics. 2019 Dec. 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-3210), adding that “although this concern was identified more than a decade ago, little progress has been made.”
The findings were based on the Pediatric Resident Burnout and Resilience Study Consortium surveys completed at 34 residency programs in 2016 (1,664 residents participated in the survey), 43 in 2017 (2,153 participated), and 49 in 2018 (2,241 participated). The 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey was used to assess burnout.
However, researchers noted that there were “no consistent significant differences between residents meeting criteria for burnout and those not meeting criteria for burnout in terms of any demographic characteristic,” the authors added.
For example, residency year and program size were associated with burnout in some years but not others.
There “were significant differences in burnout rates among postgraduate year 1 (PGY1), postgraduate year 2 (PGY2), and postgraduate year 3 (PGY3) in 2016 and 2017, but not in 2018,” the authors stated.
For 2016, burnout rates in PGY1, PGY2 and PGY3 were 36%, 34%, and 30%, respectively. In 2017, the rates changed to 33%, 36%, and 31%, respectively, while in 2018, the rates were reported to be 35% in the first postgraduate year and 33% each for the second and third postgraduate years.
Other findings from the survey revealed that residents who met the criteria for burnout reported worse mental health, more sleepiness, and greater stress, as well as lower mindfulness and self-compassion scores, less confidence in providing compassionate care, and lower levels of empathy and resilience.
“Residents who met the criteria for burnout were more likely to be on high-acuity rotations,” the Dr. Kemper and colleagues observed. “They were approximately twice as likely to report recently having made a medical error, more likely to report a work-life conflict, less likely to have had a vacation within the past month, and less likely to have had a recent weekend off than those who did not meet the criteria for burnout.
Additionally, residents reporting burnout “consistently reported significantly less satisfaction with support from family, spouse, friends, faculty, and colleagues,” the report states. “They also reported significantly lower quality of life, less satisfaction with their choice to go into pediatrics, and less satisfaction with their balance between personal and professional life.”
Dr. Ronan also noted that the survey “showed the negative impact of the environment on trainee performance and ability to cope with stress. Residency training programs should evaluate different scheduling and staffing models to determine if there are opportunities to enhance the learning environment.”
She also noted that given the link between electronic health record usage and administrative tasks and burnout, lessening administrative task burden on trainees may help decrease the rate of burnout.
Dr. Ronan added that mental health services also must be made readily available to trainees.
“The high burnout rate among pediatric residents must be addressed,” she said. “A comprehensive approach would include developing evidence-based training in mindfulness and coping techniques for the individual resident, an institutional approach to improve resident engagement and increase joy in the workplace, and the availability of mental health services when needed to address both urgent and chronic concerns.”
SOURCE: Kemper K et al. Pediatrics 2019 Dec 16. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-1030.
FROM PEDIATRICS