Urologist burnout: Frequency, causes, and potential solutions to an unspoken entity

Abstract

IntroductionPhysician burnout has been linked to decreased job performance, increased medical errors, interpersonal conflicts, and depression. Recent multispecialty studies suggest that urologists have higher rates (up to 63.6%) of burnout compared to physicians in other specialties; however, these reports were limited by low sample sizes. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of urologist burnout, verify risk factors, and recommend preventative measures and solutions for colleagues at risk or suffering from burnout.Urologist burnout is a true entity, which transcends level of training and nationality. Its roots appear to be deep-seated in our tireless efforts to strive for excellence in care for our patients, our growing academic and research pursuits, and surmounting administrative responsibilities; these virtues, which are regarded as the foundations of our career successes, are often obtained at the expense of personal health and wellbeing and family sacrifice. Various other medical societies have become increasingly vocal about the issue of physician burnout and have actively initiated successful strategies to minimize its impact on their members. As an organization with a strong national presence, the Canadian Urological Association (CUA) should promote tools to prevent and interventions to assist those at risk and suffering from burnout.Increased awareness in the general medical community has led to strategies and tools that can help prevent, identify, or assist physicians in their recovery from burnout. The CUA should develop and facilitate access to information and offer comprehensive support for urologists struggling with burnout.

Underrepresentation of functional conditions of the lower urinary tract in adults in US federal research funding

“…In general, surgeons are already at higher risk of burnout, 27,28 with recent multispecialty studies showing urologists with some of the highest rates among medical specialties. 29,30 Consequently, young investigators grapple with the additional stresses of running a lab and finding funding while facing the constant need to increase productivity and costeffectiveness. Career advancement is complicated by limits from specialty journals on basic and translational science content, inhibiting the publication and dissemination of findings.…”

Assessing gender trends in Canadian urology

“…Are they dissuaded by the high rates of burnout in urology ? 9 Are the demands of training and work hours undesirable for females? Is it possible that female medical students are not gaining enough exposure to urology during their clerkship year?…”

Stress Levels, Attitudes towards Specialty and Job Satisfaction among Indian Urologists- A Cross Sectional Study

“…Though there is huge medical research and increased awareness about burnout, still the incidence of burnout amongst doctors continues to climb. 11 One of the largest studies, involving more than 35,000 physicians in the United States, revealed 10% rise in burnout and 8% decline in the satisfaction of work-life balance (WLB) in 2014 as compared to 2011 studies. 12 Urologists had high rate of burnout (67%) and lower satisfaction rates.…”

“…When more than one third of surgeons experience burnout and low job satisfaction, there is a risk of losing a major component of our work force to early retirement and potential substance abuse which could adversely affect the quality of care provided to patients across the medical spectrum 11 . Today young urologists are more stressed and burnout permeates our medical culture as early as residency training and continues to be a major factor in job dissatisfaction, interpersonal conflicts and substance abuse even for urologists who are well into their senior years of practice.…”

“…Today young urologists are more stressed and burnout permeates our medical culture as early as residency training and continues to be a major factor in job dissatisfaction, interpersonal conflicts and substance abuse even for urologists who are well into their senior years of practice. 11,13 Several risk factors have been identified by the American Medical Association to be associated with higher rates of physician burnout 14 which include: demanding clinical workload, increased number of nights on call, a partner who also is a physician, young children to raise, a recently encountered medical error, mid-level career, conflicts between work-life balance, and less than 20% of their time spent on the most meaningful aspects of work. 14 These principles have been reported across many surgical subspecialties; including obstetrics/gynaecology, otolaryngology, and orthopaedic surgery, where the investigators found that increasing hours worked per week were a statistically significant predictor of burnout, decreased career satisfaction, and poorer overall quality of life.…”