Burnout syndrome among orthopedic surgery residents in Saudi Arabia: A multicenter study

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to identify burnout syndrome prevalence among orthopedic surgery residents from different levels in different training centers of Saudi Arabia. Methods: A survey was sent to all orthopedic surgery residents in the Central, Western, and Eastern regions of Saudi Arabia in late September/early October 2018. The Maslach Burnout Inventory for Medical Personnel was used as a data collection tool. A three subscale questionnaire based on emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and personal accomplishment determined the level of burnout syndrome. High, moderate, or low were the parameters reported after calculating the score of each subscale. Results: A total of 142 out of 301 residents completed the survey (response rate: 47.2%). The majority of the sample (90.1%, n = 128) were male. The sample had a mean of 6 on-call days per month, 2 clinic days per week, 2.3 operation days per week, and slept a mean of 5.5 h per night. More than two-thirds of the sample (68.3%) were not satisfied with their work-life balance. Around one-fifth (21.8%) of residents would not choose orthopedic surgery again as career choice and less than half of them (43%) would not choose medicine again for their graduate-level study. The results indicated that more than 56.3% of the sample scored positive for burnout syndrome. Conclusion: The study demonstrated that more than half of the studied orthopedic surgery residents in Saudi Arabia experienced burnout syndrome, which may have negative consequences for patient care, physician's efficacy, and the health-care system.