Factors driving burnout and professional fulfillment among emergency medicine residents: A national wellness survey by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine

Abstract

Objectives This study aimed to identify rates of and contributors to burnout and professional fulfillment among emergency medicine (EM) resident physicians. Methods This was a cross‐sectional, national survey of resident members of the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine (SAEM). Primary outcomes were burnout and professional fulfillment measured using a previously validated instrument with additional domains pertaining to the academic environment. The survey included question domains examining organizational factors (e.g., academic work environment, satisfaction with training, electronic health records, values alignment, and control over schedule) and individual factors (e.g., self‐compassion, meaningfulness of clinical work, impact of work on health and personal relationships, perceived appreciation, thoughts of attrition, and expectations of the field of EM). Logistic regression was performed to determine the relationships between the primary outcomes and each domain. Results The survey was sent electronically to 2641 SAEM resident members. A total of 275 residents completed the survey with a response rate of 10.4%. A total of 151 (55%) respondents were male, and 210 (76%) were White. A total of 132 (48%) residents reported burnout, and 75 (28%) reported professional fulfillment. All organizational and individual factors were significantly associated with both primary outcomes. EM residents reported that meaningfulness of clinical work had the most significant positive association with professional fulfillment (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.2 [95% confidence interval {CI} 1.8–2.7]) and negative association with burnout (adjusted OR 0.46 [95% CI 0.37–0.56]). Thoughts of attrition from academics and accurate expectations of EM were also associated with both primary outcomes, with adjusted ORs (95% CIs) of 0.40 (0.21–0.72) and 5.6 (1.9–23.8) for professional fulfillment and 4.1 (2.5–7.1) and 0.19 (0.08–0.40) for burnout, respectively. Conclusions This study found a high prevalence of burnout and a low prevalence of professional fulfillment among EM residents. Multiple factors were significantly associated with each occupational phenomenon, with meaningfulness of clinical work demonstrating the strongest relationships with burnout and professional fulfillment.

Workforce nurturing: an approach to improving wellbeing, burnout and professional fulfilment among Australian doctors

“…The proportion of doctors with professional fulfilment aligns with prior literature findings, although research largely examines professional fulfilment in doctors with specialist registration. [35][36][37][38] Rates of burnout reported in this survey were notably lower than national and international averages, with rates previously documented between 30-40%. [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47] The uniformity in perceptions of professional fulfillment and burnout across different factors, such as work locations and role level, indicates the common workplace challenges remain consistent across various backgrounds and settings.…”

“… 35 - 38 Rates of burnout reported in this survey were notably lower than national and international averages, with rates previously documented between 30-40%. 35 - 47 The uniformity in perceptions of professional fulfillment and burnout across different factors, such as work locations and role level, indicates the common workplace challenges remain consistent across various backgrounds and settings.…”

Burned Out on Burnout—The Urgency of Equity-Minded Structural Approaches to Support Nurses

“…The 2023 Magnet Application Manual highlights workforce equity and wellness. Research on the well-being of physicians and advanced practice clinicians shows an inverse relationship between burnout and professional fulfillment Professional fulfillment is a broad concept. and includes the workplace factors of inclusion, antiracism, and pay justice, which all contribute to well-being.…”

The Emergency Medicine Resident Retreat: Creating and Sustaining a Transformative and Reflective Experience

“…While the social motivations of games, picnics, or parties build camaraderie, a successful retreat returns residents to the workplace with increased focus, motivation, and inspiration. Studies suggest that emergency medicine trainees experience burnout during training at rates from 62%-76%[9][10][11][12].…”