Quality of Life and Burnout Rates Across Surgical Specialties: A Systematic Review

Area of Science:

• Medical research
• Surgical sciences
• Occupational health

Background:

• Burnout and poor quality of life (QOL) pose significant challenges for surgeons.
• Understanding these issues across surgical specialties is crucial for developing effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review the literature on QOL and burnout among surgeons in various specialties.
• To identify variations in burnout and QOL rates and associated contributing factors.

Main Methods:

• A comprehensive electronic search of MEDLINE, PsycInfo, and EMBASE was conducted for articles published between 1980 and 2015.
• Included studies evaluated US surgical specialists, focusing on QOL and burnout, with 41 articles meeting the criteria.
• Analysis followed PRISMA guidelines, comparing QOL scores and burnout rates across demographics, specialties, and training levels.

Main Results:

• Pediatric and endocrine surgeons reported highest career satisfaction, while plastic and vascular surgeons reported lower satisfaction.
• Surgical residents exhibited a higher risk of burnout and poorer QOL compared to attending surgeons.
• Increased work hours per week were a significant predictor of burnout, decreased career satisfaction, and poorer QOL.

Conclusions:

• Burnout and QOL significantly vary among surgical specialties.
• Surgical residents are at a higher risk for burnout and poorer QOL than their attending counterparts.
• Factors such as work hours contribute to burnout and affect career satisfaction and QOL.