Issues at home, disrespectful colleagues causing burnout among cardiology fellows
Cardiology fellows experience burnout for a variety of reasons, according to a new survey from the American College of Cardiology (ACC). Relationship or family issues outside of the job were the No. 1 reason, but disrespectful attitudes from both colleagues and patients appear to play a significant role as well.
The team behind the survey shared its results in full in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.[1]
“Medical learners are not immune to the adverse consequences of burnout,” wrote lead author Michael W. Cullen, MD, a cardiologist and echocardiographer with Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, and colleagues. “In this context, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes to cardiology fellowship programs. The need to support the well-being of cardiology fellows remains imperative.”
Cullen et al. gathered data from 141 cardiovascular program directors (PDs) from May 2020 to July 2020. Wellness, including burnout, is discussed during regular reviews between PDs and their fellows in 87% of programs. Informal monitoring is also used to track such feelings on a regular basis at another 80% of programs.
Another key finding was that the fellows themselves are sharing their personal feelings of burnout with PDs in 41% of programs. These concerns are more commonly shared with PDs by other fellows (48% of programs) or other faculty members (43% or programs).
What are most common reasons for burnout among cardiology fellows?
Overall, issues within a fellow’s personal relationship or family were the most common reason that feelings of burnout were brought to the attention of PDs. Disrespectful colleagues came in at No. 2, followed by the intensity of call, the stress associated with finding a job after the fellowship and disrespectful patients.
Other reasons listed by PDs included personal financial issues, long workdays, certain board exams and the complexity of certain patients.
Nearly all (92%) of PDs included in the survey said they had worked to address burnout within the last year, a promising sign for the specialty’s future. These changes included adjustments to clinical rotations and workflow updates, among others. Social gatherings outside of work, parental leave and access to meditation/mindfulness resources were other common ways PDs aimed to reduce the risk of burnout among fellows.
The team did note that one common complaint did not seem to be addressed by changes implemented by PDs.
“Disrespectful behaviors from colleagues were a common reason for fellow burnout,” the authors wrote. “Strategies to reduce burnout did not specifically address these behaviors, which represents a potential gap in awareness or resources.”
The group concluded that more work is still needed in this area, highlighting the importance of managing burnout as the cardiologists of tomorrow work to succeed during “these challenging times.”
Related Content on Burnout in Cardiology:
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8 key takeaways from a new report on physician burnout and happiness during the pandemic
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Michael has more than 18 years of experience as a professional writer and editor. He has written at length about cardiology, radiology, artificial intelligence and other key healthcare topics.