Occupational burnout in forensic pathology practice: Balancing caseload, emotional resilience, and quality of work

This mixed-methods study investigates occupational burnout among forensic pathologists in Pakistan, incorporating a quantitative survey of 250 participants and qualitative interviews with 20 pathologists. This study investigated burnout using the Maslach burnout inventory (MBI) and qualitative interviews. As part of the quantitative analyses, independent-samples t-tests, ANOVAs, and MANOVA were conducted to examine the effects of gender, age, and professional experience on emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), personal accomplishment (PA), and total burnout. The interviews were thematically analyzed, providing context for the experiences being lived. The prevalence of burnout was average among most participants, with almost one-fifth of the respondents having high scores for EE and DP. Although the statistical tests did not indicate significant differences based on gender or age (ps > 0.05), professional experience was a significant predictor of PA, and more senior professionals reported higher resiliency and a reduced rate of burnout. These findings were replicated in the qualitative results, with heavy caseloads, poor institutional support, and trauma exposure being the main stressors. The main protective mechanisms are resilience, mentorship, faith, and family support. Burnout has adverse effects on forensic performance, which contributes to delays in reporting, mistakes, and threats to medicolegal reliability. Forensic pathology burnout is quantifiable and has specific outcomes. Caseload and institutional culture remained significant predictors, with resilience and mentorship serving as protective factors. To resolve burnout, the organization needs to change and implement relevant changes, redistribute the workloads, and acknowledge that mental health is a part of maintaining stable forensic practice.