The Frequency of Burnout among Iranian Orthopedic Surgeons and Residents

Burnout is an emotional, psychological, and physical exhaustion syndrome with feelings of negativism toward one's job and reduced attention to clients. This complication is caused by the lack of control over work-related stress. Physicians, especially surgeons, are at higher risk for burnout due to critical responsibility and heavy workload. Given the importance and consequences of this dilemma, the present study aimed to investigate the frequency of burnout among orthopedic surgeons and residents.

The present cross-sectional, analytical study was conducted in 2019 in the cities of Tehran and Yazd, in Iran. A total of 180 orthopedic surgeons and residents participated in the study. A demographic characteristics form and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) were employed to assess burnout in the participants.

The mean age of the participants was 42.8 years, and 94.4%, 23.9%, 52.2%, and 23.9% of the participants were male, residents, general orthopedic specialists, and fellowship-trained orthopedics, respectively. Out of 180 participants, 90 (50%) cases were suffering from burnout, of whom 26.7%, 16.1%, and 7.2% got a pathological score in one, two, and three criteria. No significant relationship was observed between burnout and gender, marital status, years of experience, and the average number of surgeries per week. However, there was a significant association between burnout and younger age, lower academic rank or being a resident, working in the public sector, and spending less time in leisure and sports activities.

The prevalence of burnout (50%) among orthopedists was remarkable and worrying. The frequency of burnout was higher among residents and the ones working in the public sector. This study demonstrates that the issue of burnout and its related risk factors have to be addressed in Iranian orthopedic surgeons and residents.