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Professional burnout is characterised by increased perception of emotional exhaustion (EE) and depersonalisation (DP) with a concomitantly decreased sense of personal accomplishment (PA).1 Burnout among physicians is common, particularly in trainees and early-career physicians. Among internal medicine (IM) trainees in particular, recent data suggests that burnout is present in approximately 30%–40% of postgraduate first-year trainees (PGY-1), reaching up to 80% by the PGY-2 year.2

Significant research has defined various contributors to development of burnout including workload, lack of social support and a sense of lacking autonomy among others.1 Aside from reported negative effects on patient care, some have even shown associations between burnout and depression, prevalent in approximately 50% of trainees with up to 8% reporting suicidality.3

Given this growing epidemic and what seems to be a particularly vulnerable period during postgraduate medical training, various interventions have been tested to decrease burnout. Initially thought to be promising, professionally led discussion groups, including but not limited to Balint-style groups, were successful in decreasing burnout in faculty physicians, but showed no efficacy in decreasing burnout among physician trainees.4

Issue Section:
Letter
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