Exploring reports of discrimination, burnout and job satisfaction among US cardiologists
Approximately half of all Black, Asian, Hispanic and Native American cardiologists have experienced workplace discrimination, according to a new survey developed by the American College of Cardiology.
Results from the study, which included responses from 2,245 cardiologists, were published in full in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The ACC asked respondents about multiple issues, including workplace discrimination, career satisfaction, personal and family issues, burnout, mentoring and more.
“Despite clear appeals and significant efforts, diversification of the cardiovascular workforce is limited and deterred by societal, institutional and individual factors and biases,” wrote lead author Kevin Lindsey Thomas, MD, of the Duke Clinical Research Institute, and colleagues. “In 2015, underrepresented racial and ethnic minorities (URMs) constituted 12.8% of adult cardiology fellows and 7.5% of adult cardiologists, whereas Asian individuals, a notably heterogeneous group, represented 40% and 20%, respectively. Few data detail the professional and personal experiences of these groups.”
The survey included responses from 197 URMs, 564 Asian/Pacific Islander (PI) cardiologists, 1,447 white cardiologists and 37 multiracial cardiologists. For this analysis, URMs were defined as specialists who were Black, Native American or Hispanic.
These are some key findings from the survey:
- 52.3% of URMs and 45.5% of Asians/PIs said they had experienced discrimination. Discrimination related to their gender or family issues was the most common among women; discrimination about race or religion was the most common among men.
- Just 13.9% of white men reported experiencing discrimination, a much lower number than any other group.
- “Among all cardiologists, discrimination affected professional activities with colleagues and/or patients and did not vary by race,” the authors wrote.
- A clear majority of cardiologists are satisfied with their jobs and with their family lives. This did not appear to vary significantly by racial or ethnic group.
- Three in four cardiologists say they had a mentor while they were still training.
Also, the authors noted, white cardiologists reported higher rates of burnout than URMs or Asians/PIs. The authors described this finding as "unexpected."
Click here to read more from the Journal of the American College of Cardiology.
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.