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Burnout and Professional Fulfillment in Early and Early-Mid-Career Breast Surgeons

  • Breast Oncology
  • Published:
Annals of Surgical Oncology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Prior work has shown that burnout among breast surgeons is prevalent and highest in those earlier in their clinical practice career. Therefore, we sought to better understand and identify specific contributors to early-career breast surgeon burnout.

Methods

We analyzed data from our 2017 survey of members of the American Society of Breast Surgeons. The 16-items of the Professional Fulfillment Index were used in determining overall burnout and professional fulfillment scores. Multivariable regressions were performed to evaluate factors related to overall burnout and professional fulfillment.

Results

The mean overall burnout score was 1.23 (0–4 scale; higher score unfavorable) for surgeons in practice < 5 years, compared with 1.39 for surgeons in practice 5–9 years and 1.22 for those in practice ≥ 10 years. The mean professional fulfillment score was 2.71 (0–4 scale; higher score favorable) for surgeons in practice < 5 years, 2.66 for surgeons in practice 5–9 years, and 2.67 for surgeons in practice ≥ 10 years. Multivariable analysis showed that burnout was positively correlated with ≥ 60 work hours per week in the group practicing for < 5 years, and dedicating less than full time to breast surgery in the group in practice 5–9 years. Professional fulfillment was negatively associated with single relationship status in surgeons practicing < 5 years, and dedicating less than full time to breast surgery for those in practice 5–9 years.

Conclusion

Our study suggests that breast surgeons who have been in practice for 5–9 years have particularly high overall burnout rates and additional support focused on this group of breast surgeons may be needed.

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Funding

This work was conducted with support from Harvard Catalyst | The Harvard Clinical and Translational Science Center (National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health Award UL 1TR002541) and financial contributions from Harvard University and its affiliated academic healthcare centers. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of Harvard Catalyst, Harvard University and its affiliated academic healthcare centers, or the National Institutes of Health.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Surgery, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Jennifer Q. Zhang MD, Jaime Pardo MD, Isha Emhoff MD, Stephanie Serres MD & Ted James MD, MS, FACS

  2. OpenNotes, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Joe Dong MS

  3. Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA

    Tait Shanafelt MD

  4. BreastCare Center, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston, MA, USA

    Ted James MD, MS, FACS

Authors
  1. Jennifer Q. Zhang MD
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  2. Joe Dong MS
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  6. Tait Shanafelt MD
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  7. Ted James MD, MS, FACS
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ted James MD, MS, FACS.

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Disclosures

Ted James is on the Scientific Advisory Board for Perimeter Medical and is a Health Care Management Consultant with Huron, providing leadership development and quality improvement in health care, which are unrelated to this current study. Tait Shanafelt is co-inventor of the Well-Being Index Instruments (Physician Well-Being Index, Medical Student Well-Being Index, Nurse Well-Being Index, and the Well-Being Index) and the Participatory Management Leadership Index. Mayo Clinic holds the copyright to these instruments and has licensed them for use outside Mayo Clinic; Tait Shanafelt receives a portion of any royalties paid to Mayo Clinic. As an expert on the topic of healthcare professional well-being, Tait Shanafelt frequently presents Grand Round and Plenary Lectures and advises healthcare organizations on this topic; he receives honoraria for some of these engagements. These disclosures are unrelated to this current study. Jennifer Q. Zhang, Joe Dong, Jaime Pardo, Isha Emhoff, and Stephanie Serres have no disclosures to declare.

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Zhang, J.Q., Dong, J., Pardo, J. et al. Burnout and Professional Fulfillment in Early and Early-Mid-Career Breast Surgeons. Ann Surg Oncol 28, 6051–6057 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-021-09940-w

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1245/s10434-021-09940-w

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