The term “burned out,” meaning “exhaustion of physical or emotional strength or motivation usually as a result of prolonged stress or frustration,” did not exist several decades ago. However, it is apt. Some people, and no one knows how many, cannot stand the pressure of home and work life, so they live crippled lives or withdraw completely. Doctors are often near the top of the professions that cause burnout. Some specialties are more likely to produce this particular form of suffering than others.
[in-text-ad]
Many doctors are under pressure no matter how well their lives are going. Surgeons and obstetricians probably fall into this category. There are major consequences to their job performance. However, based on a new study, the doctors most likely to burn out are those who work in emergency rooms. (What a hospital looked like 100 years ago.)

Emergency room doctors should be near the top of the burnout risk by specialty. This was made worse by the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. Emergency rooms were filled to overflowing with extremely sick patients, many of whom died. Before vaccines were available, there was often little they could do.

Get Our Free Investment Newsletter

I have read, and agree to the Terms of Use

According to the new “Medscape Physician Burnout & Depression Report 2023: ‘I Cry and No One Cares’,” the burnout rate among emergency room physicians is 65%. The study was conducted between June and October last year and covered 9,100 doctors.

Next on the list of burned-out specialists were internal medicine at 60%, pediatrics at 59%, obstetrics and gynecology at 58%, and infectious diseases also at 58%.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.