National Survey of Burnout and Distress Among Cardiothoracic Surgery Trainees

Burnout has been linked to poor job satisfaction and increased medical errors, and is prevalent among health care professionals. We sought to characterize burnout and distress among US cardiothoracic surgery (CTS) trainees.

A 19-question survey was sent to CTS trainees in collaboration with the Thoracic Surgery Residents Association. We queried sociodemographic variables, balance/quality of life, and indicators of depression and regret. We included questions along the emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment subscales of the Maslach Burnout Inventory.

The survey was sent to 531 CTS trainees across 76 institutions and there were 108 responses (20.3%). More than 50% of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with balance in their professional life and more than 40% screened positively for signs of depression. More than 25% of respondents (n = 28) would not complete CTS training again, given a choice. More than half met criteria for burnout on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization subscales. The CTS residents with children were more likely to express regret toward pursuing CTS training. A greater proportion of women than men reported poor levels of balance/quality of life during training as measured by missed health appointments, negative impact on relationships, and self-perception. Similarly, those in the final 3 years of training were more likely to report poor levels of balance/quality of life.

High rates of burnout, regret, and depression are present among US CTS trainees. Efforts to promote trainee well-being and implement interventions that support those at high risk for burnout are warranted, to benefit trainees as well as the patients they serve.