Burnout in Burn Surgeons: A Survey of Burn Surgeon Wellness

The U.S. faces a surgeon shortage, threatening a decline in burn care specialists as surgeons shift to other fields. With only 0.3% of the workforce in burn surgery, attrition could severely impact burn care availability. Addressing recruitment and retention challenges requires identifying stressors and workload factors contributing to the strain of operative burn care. In May 2024, a de-identified survey was conducted with Institutional Review Board approval to assess burn surgeons' self-reported well-being. A diverse surgeon panel reviewed the survey, and the American Burn Association distributed it via email and Survey Monkey. Statistical analysis included Chi-square and t-tests. Seventy-seven burn surgeons (62% male) participated, representing a 20% response rate. Most took burn call (95%) and worked in an academic setting (80%). While 73% were satisfied with their careers and 91% valued the complexities of burn care, 54% lacked time for personal activities, and 62% felt maternity/paternity leave was insufficient. Forty percent experienced burnout, and 26% considered leaving the field. Over half (54%) felt they lacked time to recover after demanding cases, and 65% believed burn surgery negatively impacted their health. Using a Likert scale (10 = high performance), they rated their ability to meet job demands at 7 (±1), with a projected decline to 4.2 (±0.5) in two years. Despite overall career satisfaction, burn surgeons face challenges that threaten their health and the quality and sustainability of burn care. Our findings highlight the need for interventions to mitigate burnout and enhance well-being, ensuring the long-term viability of burn surgery and patient care.