Burnout and gender in surgical training: A call to re-evaluate coping and dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Physician Well-being
• Gender Studies in Medicine

Background:

• Physicians exhibit higher rates of burnout and mental illness compared to the general population.
• The negative impacts of physician burnout affect providers, patients, and the healthcare system.
• Gender is often overlooked in understanding and addressing physician burnout and mental health issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate gender-based variations in burnout and distress among physicians.
• To analyze gender differences in the manifestation and contributing factors of burnout.

Main Methods:

• Utilized data from a national survey of physicians.
• Incorporated findings from a longitudinal pilot study of general surgery residents.
• Examined burnout, depersonalization, anxiety, and alcohol misuse in relation to gender.

Main Results:

• National survey revealed higher depersonalization in male residents and increased alcohol misuse in female residents.
• A significant association between alcohol misuse, high depersonalization, and low anxiety was observed in females, but not males.
• The pilot study indicated higher overall burnout scores in males, with depersonalization being a major contributor.
• Both male and female residents experienced a rise in high depersonalization throughout their intern year.

Conclusions:

• Residency training impacts male and female physicians distinctly.
• Further research is necessary to comprehend these gender-specific effects.
• Developing targeted interventions requires a deeper understanding of gender variations in physician burnout and distress.