Abstract
Introduction Burnout syndrome can be defined as emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and perceived
lack of personal accomplishment, all of which lead to decreased effectiveness at work.
The Medscape burnout and depression report of 2018 suggests that the burnout range
across various specialties ranges from 23 to 48%. There are no studies to assess the
burnout among plastic surgery residents in India. This study is an attempt to assess
the same.
Materials and Methods An online survey was conducted in March and April 2019 for plastic surgery residents
across India. Various parameters including those related to gender, year of the curriculum,
hobbies, exercise, and marital status were assessed. There were multiple sections
in the survey, which included the demographic details, stress-related variables, and
the abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory. The abbreviated Maslach Burnout Inventory
is a validated scale that has been used to assess the burnout among plastic surgery
residents in India. The three subscales, emotional exhaustion, depersonalization,
and personal accomplishment were measured on a Likert scale. Univariable and multivariable
analysis of factors associated with burnout was performed.
Results Of the 185 respondents, 48.4% experienced moderate-to-high burnout. Of these, 25%
(n = 46) were above the 75th centile of the overall burnout score, indicating severe
burnout. Insufficient faculty involvement, insufficient time allotted for formalized
teaching, conflict with colleagues, and lack of adequate support staff correlated
with resident burnout on multivariate analysis. Residents who pursued their hobbies
or performed physical activities for exercise had significantly lesser burnout.
Conclusion The incidence of burnout in plastic surgery residents surveyed in our study was 48.4%.
The faculty of the departments and the residents themselves, as well as the governing
bodies, all have a role to play to address the issue of burnout among residents. Dedicated
and persistent efforts toward improving physical and psychological well-being of plastic
surgery residents will positively impact not only the well-being of the residents
but also the quality of patient care.
Keywords
burnout - professional burnout - workplace stress - occupational burnout - plastic
surgery
