Worsening Burnout in Orthopedic Surgeons Since 2019 and Key Areas of Work life Drivers

In 2019, we assessed rates of burnout in orthopedic surgeons (attendings and trainees) at our institution and found distinct levels and drivers of burnout. Excessive workload had the strongest association with burnout across career stages.

We sought to re-examine the rates of burnout in orthopedic trainees and faculty in the same institution several years later and to identify the areas of worklife that correlated with burnout at distinct career stages, comparing 2019 and 2023 responses.

From November 2022 to February 2023, we invited 190 orthopedic attending surgeons and trainees to participate in a survey by email. The Maslach Burnout Inventory and Areas of Worklife Scale were used to evaluate burnout and areas of worklife, respectively. Respondents were invited to elaborate on their experiences in free-text boxes. Results were compared to those of our 2019 survey.

In 2023, 76 recipients completed the survey, for a 40% response rate, compared with a 79% response rate in 2019. The response rate among residents fell from 93% in 2019 to 28% in 2023. High levels of depersonalization were found in 38% of residents and 21% of attending surgeons. High levels of emotional exhaustion were found in 31% of residents and 33% of attending surgeons. The proportion of attending surgeons reporting symptoms of burnout doubled between 2019 and 2023, whereas rates remained similar in residents. In 2023, 38% of residents reported low personal accomplishment compared with 5% in 2019. Excessive workload and limited job control were the work life areas most strongly correlated with burnout.

The results of our 2023 survey suggest that burnout rates increased in academic orthopedic attending surgeons at our institution since 2019. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the importance of institutions continuing to prioritize physician well-being.