Burnout: Prevalence and Associated Factors Among Radiology Residents in New England With Comparison Against United States Resident Physicians in Other Specialties

Abstract

Objective: The objective of our study was to establish burnout prevalence, associated demographic and program-related factors, and degree of burnout in New England radiology residents relative to residents in other specialties.

Materials and methods: A 31-item survey, including nine demographic and program-related questions and the 22-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-Health Services Survey, was sent to all resident members of the New England Roentgen Ray Society (20 programs, 472 residents). Emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP), and personal accomplishment (PA) scores were calculated and stratified using published normative data. Multiple linear regression analysis was performed to identify burnout predictors. Chi-square testing with Bonferroni correction was performed to confirm predictors associated with high burnout. The EE, DP, and PA scores were compared with the results of residents from other specialties.

Results: There were 94 responses. High EE, high DP, and low PA scores were reported by 37%, 48%, and 50% of respondents, respectively. EE, DP, and PA scores and rates were low relative to those reported across specialties. Increasing residency year correlated with high EE (p = 0.002) and high DP (p < 0.001). No other factor significantly correlated with burnout.

Conclusion: A high degree of burnout, increasing over the postgraduate years, was present in more than one-third of responding radiology residents but was present in a smaller percentage relative to residents across other specialties. Radiology residents score relatively poorly in PA and therefore addressing PA may be central to improving burnout symptoms overall.

Keywords: Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME); depersonalization; depression; emotional exhaustion; stress.