Assessment of burnout in New Zealand ophthalmology registrars

Burnout is prevalent among medical professionals, particularly during training, and can lead to detrimental personal and professional outcomes. This study aims to assess burnout levels among New Zealand ophthalmology registrars.

A cross-sectional, anonymous online survey was administered to trainee and non-trainee ophthalmology registrars across New Zealand. The survey collected demographic data, details about the work environment within ophthalmology departments, experiences with the impact of COVID-19 and assessed burnout levels using the Maslach Burnout Inventory - Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel (MBI-HSS MP).

Forty-five of 65 ophthalmology registrars (69%) completed the survey. Burnout was prevalent, affecting 55% of trainees and 77% of non-trainees. Non-trainees demonstrated significantly higher levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalisation compared with trainees, with 64.3% and 57.1% of non-trainees, respectively, demonstrating burnout in the severe range. Additionally, workload manageability was found to have a significant association with burnout (p=0.0448), with non-trainees facing greater difficulty in managing their workload.

Burnout is highly prevalent among New Zealand ophthalmology registrars, with non-trainees particularly affected.