It's not surprising
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Pediatricians are twice as likely to be happy outside the office than they are at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.

Survey: Physicians who are very happy at work by specialty

About 29% of pediatricians reported being happy at work, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%. Pediatricians did much better when it came to finding happiness outside the office, with 57% reporting that they were very happy when away from work, according to the Medscape report.

The rate of burnout in pediatricians (41%) was the same as it was in physicians overall. The biggest contributing factors to burnout in pediatricians were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (59%), insufficient compensation/reimbursement (37%), and spending too many hours at work (34%).

Pediatricians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (54%), exercising (47%), and sleeping (41%). Just over half of pediatricians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.

About 8% of pediatricians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, but 0% reported that they’d attempted it; 85% said that they’d never thought about it. Just under one-quarter of pediatricians said that were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for depression and/or burnout; 55% said they were not seeking help and had never made use of it in the past.

The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.

Body

We all feel it. It is not surprising that only 29% of today's pediatricians report that they are "happy" at work and 30% report "burnout"!

This report serves to identify only some of the countless ways in which we are forced to compromise the 24-hour clock, leaving too little time for ourselves and families.  
We spend too many hours at work, and other data show we are undercompensated for our efforts.   

Today, electronically, most of us are reachable even when out of the office. It is difficult, if not impossible, to completely disconnect. The challenge to achieve the work/life balance we have all imagined is too great!

I try to carve out "forced escapes from reality" through novels, movies, and when possible, distant travel with my spouse. However, the bliss is too short lived. When I return to reality, some bliss fades as I jump back onto the "merry-go-round" for a few more turns.
 
Lillian M. Beard, MD, is a clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University, Washington. She is a Pediatric News Editorial Advisory Board member.

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We all feel it. It is not surprising that only 29% of today's pediatricians report that they are "happy" at work and 30% report "burnout"!

This report serves to identify only some of the countless ways in which we are forced to compromise the 24-hour clock, leaving too little time for ourselves and families.  
We spend too many hours at work, and other data show we are undercompensated for our efforts.   

Today, electronically, most of us are reachable even when out of the office. It is difficult, if not impossible, to completely disconnect. The challenge to achieve the work/life balance we have all imagined is too great!

I try to carve out "forced escapes from reality" through novels, movies, and when possible, distant travel with my spouse. However, the bliss is too short lived. When I return to reality, some bliss fades as I jump back onto the "merry-go-round" for a few more turns.
 
Lillian M. Beard, MD, is a clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University, Washington. She is a Pediatric News Editorial Advisory Board member.

Body

We all feel it. It is not surprising that only 29% of today's pediatricians report that they are "happy" at work and 30% report "burnout"!

This report serves to identify only some of the countless ways in which we are forced to compromise the 24-hour clock, leaving too little time for ourselves and families.  
We spend too many hours at work, and other data show we are undercompensated for our efforts.   

Today, electronically, most of us are reachable even when out of the office. It is difficult, if not impossible, to completely disconnect. The challenge to achieve the work/life balance we have all imagined is too great!

I try to carve out "forced escapes from reality" through novels, movies, and when possible, distant travel with my spouse. However, the bliss is too short lived. When I return to reality, some bliss fades as I jump back onto the "merry-go-round" for a few more turns.
 
Lillian M. Beard, MD, is a clinical professor of pediatrics at George Washington University, Washington. She is a Pediatric News Editorial Advisory Board member.

Title
It's not surprising
It's not surprising

 

Pediatricians are twice as likely to be happy outside the office than they are at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.

Survey: Physicians who are very happy at work by specialty

About 29% of pediatricians reported being happy at work, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%. Pediatricians did much better when it came to finding happiness outside the office, with 57% reporting that they were very happy when away from work, according to the Medscape report.

The rate of burnout in pediatricians (41%) was the same as it was in physicians overall. The biggest contributing factors to burnout in pediatricians were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (59%), insufficient compensation/reimbursement (37%), and spending too many hours at work (34%).

Pediatricians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (54%), exercising (47%), and sleeping (41%). Just over half of pediatricians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.

About 8% of pediatricians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, but 0% reported that they’d attempted it; 85% said that they’d never thought about it. Just under one-quarter of pediatricians said that were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for depression and/or burnout; 55% said they were not seeking help and had never made use of it in the past.

The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.

 

Pediatricians are twice as likely to be happy outside the office than they are at work, according to Medscape’s 2020 Lifestyle, Happiness, and Burnout Report.

Survey: Physicians who are very happy at work by specialty

About 29% of pediatricians reported being happy at work, with dermatologists taking the top spot at 41%. Pediatricians did much better when it came to finding happiness outside the office, with 57% reporting that they were very happy when away from work, according to the Medscape report.

The rate of burnout in pediatricians (41%) was the same as it was in physicians overall. The biggest contributing factors to burnout in pediatricians were an overabundance of bureaucratic tasks (59%), insufficient compensation/reimbursement (37%), and spending too many hours at work (34%).

Pediatricians most commonly dealt with burnout by talking with friends/family (54%), exercising (47%), and sleeping (41%). Just over half of pediatricians reported taking 3-4 weeks of vacation, compared with 44% of all physicians; 32% took less than 3 weeks’ vacation.

About 8% of pediatricians reported that they’d contemplated suicide, but 0% reported that they’d attempted it; 85% said that they’d never thought about it. Just under one-quarter of pediatricians said that were currently seeking or planning to seek professional help for depression and/or burnout; 55% said they were not seeking help and had never made use of it in the past.

The Medscape survey was conducted from June 25 to Sept. 19, 2019, and involved 15,181 physicians.

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