The burnout crisis: Insights from U.S. radiologic science educators

Area of Science:

• Radiologic science education
• Healthcare professions education
• Medical imaging education

Background:

• Radiologic science educators face unique burnout risks due to combined academic and clinical responsibilities.
• Increasing administrative duties and broad expectations exacerbate workload pressures.
• This study investigates the prevalence and contributing factors of burnout in this professional group.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the levels of burnout among radiologic science educators in the U.S.
• To compare burnout scores with national educator norms.
• To identify factors associated with burnout in this population.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional survey was administered to U.S. radiologic science educators.
• The Maslach Burnout Toolkit for Educators (comprising MBI and AWS) was utilized.
• 265 ASRT members completed the 50-question survey, yielding a 73.6% response rate.

Main Results:

• Educators reported high emotional exhaustion (37.41) and personal accomplishment (43.60), with moderately high depersonalization (12.09).
• Compared to national norms, radiologic science educators exhibited higher emotional exhaustion and depersonalization.
• Burnout showed a strong inverse relationship with work-life balance; 67% reported significant clinical duties, and 55.91% noted pedagogical changes post-COVID-19.

Conclusions:

• Radiologic science educators experience significant burnout, mainly emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, exceeding national averages.
• Clinical duties, accreditation demands, and post-pandemic pressures likely contribute to burnout.
• Individual and organizational interventions are crucial for mitigating burnout in this field.