
The Emotional Baggage Follow Up Series: Strike a Match to Our Burnout
Burnout has only worsened over the pandemic… but how much worse?
PSYCHIATRIC VIEWS ON THE DAILY NEWS
Given that I was a coeditor of the book,
Looking back to 2022, several weekday columns told a sad story, both for other physicians and ourselves.
On February 24, 2022, the column was on “
On September 19, 2022, the column was “
On the
Earlier this week, on January 11, Healio/Psychiatry released a summary: “‘We’re not surprised’: Physician burnout continues into third year of pandemic.”3 The most recent study indicated that about two thirds of physician had at least 1 manifestation of burnout. Twenty percent were hoping to leave their practice in 2 years. Female physicians were at higher risk of burnout and encountering microaggressions.
Clearly, physician burnout was already hovering around 50% before the pandemic, but has even worsened since. The main culprit continues to be the system, with the pandemic adding a lack of preparation for the safety of physicians to the priority of costs and profits. Moreover, a rising rate of burnout has spread to other workplaces in society, as well as to parents.
For an earlier column in this follow up series, I wondered if psychiatrists would ever strike or be part of a more
Dr Moffic is an award-winning psychiatrist who has specialized in the cultural and ethical aspects of psychiatry. A prolific writer and speaker, he received the one-time designation of Hero of Public Psychiatry from the Assembly of the American Psychiatric Association in 2002. He is an advocate for mental health issues related to climate instability, burnout, Islamophobia, and anti-Semitism for a better world. He serves on the Editorial Board of Psychiatric Times™.
References
1. Medscape Psychiatrist Lifestyle, Happiness and Burnout Report 2022. Medscape. February 18, 2022. Accessed January 13, 2023.
2. Sullivan K. Nearly 1 in 4 U.S. hospitalized patients experience harmful events, study finds. NBC News. January 11, 2023. Accessed January 13, 2023.
3. Downey K Jr. ‘We’re not surprised’: Physician burnout continues into third year of pandemic. Healio. January 11, 2023. Accessed January 13, 2023.
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