The relationship between resident physician burnout and its’ effects on patient care, professionalism, and academic achievement: A review of the literature

Abstract

Burnout is the result of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment. Medical trainees are at high risk of burnout syndrome. The mental and physical stress often has negative consequences. These consequences are vast: affecting personal relationships, well-being, patient care, and professionalism. This review explores some of the literature on resident physician burnout and aspects of professionalism. It reviews the relationships between burnout in medical trainees and patient care, medical errors, and professional misconduct clinically and academically. This review serves to provide an overview of existing information and potential areas in need of further research. A literature review was conducted using Ovid MEDLINE from 1946 to 2021 using the keywords: ‘burnout’, ‘internship’, ‘residency’, ‘professionalism’, ‘medical errors’, ‘professional misconduct’, ‘unprofessional’, ‘patient harm’, and ‘clinical competence’. This literature review revealed an extensive amount of research exists regarding burnout in resident physicians. The literature supports a high rate of resident burnout that is more prevalent in those with certain risk factors. Studies worldwide demonstrate a relationship between burnout and medical errors across multiple medical specialties. They show increased burnout leads to more medical errors and lack in quality patient care. The literature also shows an association between burnout and academic achievements, as well as perceived success. Poor academic performance on training exams is found to be associated with individuals reporting burnout. There is evidence to support an array of effects that goes beyond individual emotional and physical wellbeing to the well-being of patients. A variety of wellness programs exist in attempts to avoid burnout syndrome; but burnout and unprofessionalism remain a significant problem in medical trainees. The challenge of preventing and coping with burnout syndrome in physicians in training is ongoing. Resident physician wellness has been a focus of research at many institutions, including identification of risk factors and prevention. Serious implications can result from burnout, not solely on the individual suffering from burnout, but involving patient care, increased medical errors, and affecting their peers. An increased awareness of the potential effects of burnout on quality of care and professional misconduct is imperative to medical training. Burnout syndrome in medical trainees goes beyond wellness, affecting the lives of others. There is a need for further research into more objective supporting data on the topics discussed in this review.