adminA three-year study from the American Medical Association (AMA) and the Mayo Clinic revealed physician work-life balance is getting worse and now more than half of U.S. physicians feel burned out.
The study, which compares 2014 and 2011 data from nearly 7,000 physicians and more than 5,000 other workers, indicates this trend is specific to the medical profession, and that burnout rates increased across nearly all specialties. In 2011, 45 percent of physicians were considered burned out, according to the study. In 2014, levels of burnout rose nearly 10 percent to 54 percent of physicians.
In a past survey of Pennsylvania Medical Society (PAMED) members, 82 percent said that either they or a physician colleague had experienced burnout during their career. In another survey, both members and non-members said they needed tips to help them achieve work-life balance and manage competing priorities.
So, how can you prevent burnout and maintain work/life balance?
Physicians have access to education on these issues from PAMED and the Foundation of the Pennsylvania Medical Society. This includes online, on-demand CME courses designed to help you identify burnout symptoms and coping strategies, as well as podcasts where we talked to several Pennsylvania physicians who shared their tips on maintaining work-life balance. Get these resources and tips to add to your toolbox at www.pamedsoc.org/lifeofmedicine.
More on the AMA/Mayo Clinic study can be found in this Mayo Clinic Proceedings.