Burnout in Surgical Residents of an Academic Hospital in Iran: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Abstract

Academic burnout has adverse effects on residents' professional behavior as well as personal aspects of their lives and can ultimately affect their performance in the workplace. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout among surgical residents in Imam Khomeini hospital and the relationship between factors such as sex, marital status, living place, specialized field, and anxiety with burnout. We conducted a cross-sectional study in 2021. A validated version of the Maslach burnout inventory for students (MBI-SS), the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and a questionnaire on contributing factors were used. Statistical analysis for the prevalence of burnout and comparison between scores of groups were performed. Of 130 surgical residents who answered the survey, 26% met the criteria for burnout. There was a significantly higher prevalence of burnout among PGY1 residents. Of these residents, 85.4% and 62.3% had high scores on emotional exhaustion and cynicism, respectively. We observed an association between different surgical disciplines and anxiety with burnout. The prevalence of burnout among surgical residents was notable and higher than expected. There was a reliable association between anxiety and burnout. A longitudinal study on a group of students with a consideration of associated factors is suggested.