Extinguishing burnout: National analysis of predictors and effects of burnout in abdominal transplant surgery fellows

Abstract

Burnout among surgeons has been attributed to increased workload and decreased autonomy. Although prior studies have examined burnout among transplant surgeons, no studies have evaluated burnout in abdominal transplant surgery fellows. The objective of our study was to identify predictors of burnout and understand its impact on personal and patient care during fellowship. A survey was sent to all abdominal transplant surgery fellows in an American Society of Transplant Surgeons–accredited fellowship. The response rate was 59.2% (n = 77) and 22.7% (n = 17) of fellows met criteria for burnout. Fellows with lower grit scores were more likely to exhibit burnout compared with fellows with higher scores (3.6 vs 4.0, P = .026). Those with burnout were more likely to work >100 hours per week (58.8% vs 27.6%, P = .023), have severe work‐related stress (58.8% vs 22.4%, P = .010), consider quitting fellowship (94.1% vs 20.7%, P < .001), or make a medical error (35.3% vs 5.2%, P = .003). This national analysis of abdominal transplant fellows found that burnout rates are relatively low, but few fellows engage in self‐care. Personal and program‐related factors attribute to burnout and it has unacceptable effects on patient care. Transplant societies and fellowship programs should develop interventions to give fellows tools to prevent and combat burnout.

Burnout, professional fulfillment, and post‐traumatic stress among pediatric solid organ transplant teams

“…Post‐traumatic stress is not unique to solid organ transplant clinicians and has been identified in other pediatric clinicians 22,23 . Our study found that 15% of clinicians reported post‐traumatic stress symptoms.…”

“…Our study found that 15% of clinicians reported post‐traumatic stress symptoms. This is in the range of rates reported in studies of other pediatric subspecialties (ie, 2% in general pediatricians 23 to 20% in pediatric intensive care clinicians) 22 . Early career intensive care faculty and nurses have been found to be more likely to report burnout and post‐traumatic stress symptoms than more senior clinicians 24 .…”

“…Nonetheless, study results underscore the importance of reducing burnout, particularly given associations with worse professional quality of life 20 and increased medical errors in transplant clinicians 21 Post-traumatic stress is not unique to solid organ transplant clinicians and has been identified in other pediatric clinicians. 22,23 Our study found that 15% of clinicians reported post-traumatic stress symptoms. This is in the range of rates reported in studies of other pediatric subspecialties (ie, 2% in general pediatricians 23 to 20% in pediatric intensive care clinicians).…”

“…This is in the range of rates reported in studies of other pediatric subspecialties (ie, 2% in general pediatricians 23 to 20% in pediatric intensive care clinicians). 22 Early career intensive care faculty and nurses have been found to be more likely to report burnout and post-traumatic stress symptoms than more senior clinicians. 24 Post-traumatic stress symptoms are also reported in pediatric intensive care trainees, 25 many of whom report severe grief in response to patient deaths.…”

Organ utilization – the next hurdle in transplantation?

“…This will increase the stress of making organ utilization decisions. Transplant surgery is becoming a less popular career choice, and surgeon burnout due to overwork and anti‐social hours is a pressing concern in many countries [63–65].…”