Objective:

To evaluate burnout among trainees, faculty, advanced practice providers (APPs), and other staff at an academic medical center (AMC).

Background:

The survey-based 2024 Medscape Physician Burnout and Depression Report found that 49% of physicians endorsed symptoms of burnout, with 48% indicating they did not believe employers seemed to recognize burnout problems. Even less research has been done to evaluate basic science burnout burden. We conducted a survey to assess burnout among multiple departments at a large AMC.

Design/Methods:

An online, RedCap survey that included the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) and the Areas of Worklife survey was open to trainees, faculty, APPs, and other staff across all departments at the AMC over a five-month period in 2022. This report focuses on results for clinical and basic science faculty members, with fifty-eight participants who identified as faculty completed the survey, representing multiple departments (36% were faculty in the Department of Neurology). The AMC is the region’s primary tertiary care referral center.

Results:

Women both in the clinical and basic science departments reported higher emotional exhaustion compared to MBI averages (p ≤ 0.009). Assistant professors in the basic sciences reported lower levels of personal accomplishment compared to their clinical counterparts (p=0.005). Associate professors in clinical departments reported higher emotional exhaustion than those in basic sciences (p<0.05). Regardless of academic rank, those who engaged in active and non-active wellness activities endorsed lower levels of emotional exhaustion (p ≤ 0.01).

Conclusions:

While evaluation of women in both clinical and basic sciences showed increased burnout symptoms, engagement in wellness activities was associated with lower emotional exhaustion and higher personal accomplishment. This highlights the potential of wellness initiatives to mitigate burnout among multiple disciplines at academic institutions.