Burnout among Plastic Surgery Residents in India: An Observational Study

Abstract

Introduction Burnout syndrome can be defined as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and perceived lack of personal accomplishment, all of which lead to decreased effectiveness at work. The Medscape burnout and depression report of 2018 suggests that the burnout range across various specialties ranges from 23 to 48%. There are no studies to assess the burnout among plastic surgery residents in India. This study is an attempt to assess the same. Materials and Methods An online survey was conducted in March and April 2019 for plastic surgery residents across India. Various parameters including those related to gender, year of the curriculum, hobbies, exercise, and marital status were assessed. There were multiple sections in the survey, which included the demographic details, stress-related variables, and the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. The abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory is a validated scale that has been used to assess the burnout among plastic surgery residents in India. The three subscales, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment were measured on a Likert scale. Univariable and multivariable analysis of factors associated with burnout was performed. Results Of the 185 respondents, 48.4% experienced moderate-to-high burnout. Of these, 25% (n = 46) were above the 75th centile of the overall burnout score, indicating severe burnout. Insufficient faculty involvement, insufficient time allotted for formalized teaching, conflict with colleagues, and lack of adequate support staff correlated with resident burnout on multivariate analysis. Residents who pursued their hobbies or performed physical activities for exercise had significantly lesser burnout. Conclusion The incidence of burnout in plastic surgery residents surveyed in our study was 48.4%. The faculty of the departments and the residents themselves, as well as the governing bodies, all have a role to play to address the issue of burnout among residents. Dedicated and persistent efforts toward improving physical and psychological well-being of plastic surgery residents will positively impact not only the well-being of the residents but also the quality of patient care.

Indian Perspective of Burnout Among Plastic Surgeons

“…Burnout among residents in plastic surgery in India has been addressed. 15 However, burnout among plastic surgeons in India has not yet been studied. Working as a plastic surgeon in India comes with its own set of difficulties.…”

“… 46 In India too, the burnout percentage declines from residency to consultancy from 48.4% to 8.2%. 15 …”

“…46 In India too, the burnout percentage declines from residency to consultancy from 48.4% to 8.2%. 15 Plastic surgeons were among the surgical specialties with the greatest career satisfaction rate. 25,30,47 Career satisfaction is consistently associated with less burnout.…”

“…Higher EE and DP scores corresponded to greater burnout; lower PA scores corresponded to greater burnout. We combined the scores of 'EE and DP' to calculate the overall burnout score, as described by Shaikh et al 14 and Panse et al 15 A subscale score of 0 to 9 was considered “no-to-low burnout” for EE and DP, whereas a subscale score of 10 to 18 was considered “moderate-to-severe burnout.” To assess professional satisfaction, the questionnaire used by McManus et al was used. 16 17 …”

International Residents' Perspectives on Education and Challenges in Microsurgery Training

“…Recent literature exposed high rates of burnout among surgical residents, particularly microsurgical trainees. 9 10 Root cause analysis suggests multifactorial reasons for high burnout rates among residents, such as low faculty involvement, lack of support staff, and increased clinical workload. Also, these studies advocated the importance of maintaining a work–life balance and taking active distress measures.…”