title: Professional burnout among US plastic surgeons: results of a national survey.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Little is known about professional burnout among plastic surgeons. Our purpose is to describe its prevalence among a large national sample of plastic surgeons and identify contributing factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  A mailed, self-administered survey was sent to 708 plastic surgeons who were randomly sampled from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons national membership (71% response rate). The dependent variable was professional burnout, measured by 3 subscales from the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey. "High" scores in either the emotional exhaustion or depersonalization subscale categories predict professional burnout. The independent variables included surgeon sociodemographic and professional characteristics. χ was used for the bivariate analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Nearly one third (29%) of surgeons scored high in subscale categories predictive of professional burnout. Factors associated with high emotional exhaustion scores included surgeon age, 40-50 years (P = 0.03); fair/poor physician health (P < 0.01); ER call (P < 0.01); >60 work hours per week (P = 0.03); primarily reconstructive practice (P < 0.01); private practice (P = 0.01); and group practice (P = 0.02). Factors associated with high depersonalization scores included fair/poor physician health (P= 0.01); ER call (P < 0.01); private practice (P = 0.01); and group practice (P = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Nearly one third of plastic surgeons have signs of professional burnout. Middle-aged surgeons and those in poor health are most at risk; along with those who have a reconstructive rather than cosmetic practice, long work hours, ER call responsibility, a nonacademic setting. and group as compared to solo practice. These data have important implications for future workforce shortages and health care quality.
authors: From the *Division of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Oregon Health Sciences University, Portland, OR; †The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI; and ‡Private Practice, Atlanta, GA.
authors: Rachel
authors: R
authors: Streu
authors: Juliana
authors: J
authors: Hansen
authors: Paul
authors: P
authors: Abrahamse
authors: Amy K
authors: AK
authors: Alderman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D039602:After-Hours Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006123:Group Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006304:Health Status; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011331:Private Practice / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019651:Plastic Surgery Procedures; D012307:Risk Factors; D013518:Surgery, Plastic / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States; D014940:Work Schedule Tolerance