Levels and drivers of burnout during the COVID-19 pandemic among a diverse group of resident physicians

ABSTRACT

Objectives

Evidence has shown significant impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on physicians. We hypothesized that these effects would impact surgical and non-surgical resident education differently, with non-surgical specialties being more heavily impacted by frontline work and surgical specialties losing elective cases.

Methods

We examined well-being and burnout among resident physicians in surgical and non-surgical specialties during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic using the Mayo Physician Well-Being Index (WBI).

Results

Completed surveys were received from 110 residents, 55% of whom were in a surgical training program. 35% of respondents were identified as ‘at risk’ for burnout. Increased demands from work (adj. OR 3.79, 95% CI 1.50, 9.59, p = 0.005) was associated with an increased likelihood for being ‘at risk’ compared to those without increased demands. Odds of having increased stress level were higher amongst residents with fear/anxiety of the unknown (adj. OR 4.21, 95% CI 1.63, 10.90, p = 0.003) and more demands outside work (adj. OR 10.54, 95% CI 2.63, 42.16, p = 0.001) but lower amongst residents with more time for studying (OR 0.23, 95% CI 0.09, 0.64, p = 0.005). Risk for burnout was not significantly different between surgical and non-surgical specialties when adjusting for increased demands from work (adj. OR 1.43, 95% CI 0.60, 3.37, p = 0.0.418).

Conclusion

Perceived effects of the COVID-19 pandemic upon residents’ educational experience was mixed: reduced clinical volume had a negative impact, while increased time for study was perceived favorably. These findings suggest potential strategies and targets to mitigate the stress and burnout of a future crisis, whether large or small, among surgical and non-surgical trainees.

KEYWORDS:

• Graduate medical education
• COVID-19 pandemic
• professional burnout
• wellness
• residency

Declaration of financial/other relationships

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties. Peer reviewers on this manuscript have no relevant financial or other relationships to disclose.

Author contributions

Conceptualization & Design: James Anaissie, Shreeya Popat, Lindsay Brettman, Anoop Agrawal, Jennifer Taylor, Stacey Rose; Methodology: James Anaissie, Lindsay Brettman, Anoop Agrawal, Jennifer Taylor, Stacey Rose; Statistical analysis: Kristen Staggers; Data curation: James Anaissie, Lindsay Brettman, Ujval Pathak; Manuscript writing – original draft preparation: Brenna Briles, Alyssa Kahl, James Anaissie, Lindsay Brettman; Manuscript critical review: Brenna Briles, Alyssa Kahl, James Anaissie, Lindsay Brettman, Ujval Pathak, Shreeya Popat, Kristen Staggers, Anoop Agrawal, Stacey Rose, Jennifer Taylor; Visualization, Brenna Briles, Alyssa Kahl; Project supervision: Jennifer Taylor, Stacey Rose. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/00325481.2024.2303974

Additional information

Funding

This paper was not funded.