Most microvascular and reconstructive free-flap head and neck surgeons experience at least moderate professional burnout, according to a study published in October 2010 in the Archives of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (136(10):950-956).
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August 2011How is burnout defined? It’s not the same thing as depression, said Ted Teknos, MD, one of the co-authors of the study, professor and division director of head and neck surgery and David E. Schuller, MD, and Carol H. Schuller chair of head and neck oncologic surgery at the Ohio State University Medical Center in Columbus."Burnout is defined as a high degree of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization and a low sense of personal accomplishment. It’s your view of your job."
In some respects, otolaryngologists are fortunate when it comes to burnout, Dr. Teknos said."There have been a number of studies looking at burnout amongst different disciplines, and otolaryngology actually ranks better than ob-gyn and a number of other surgical disciplines, like general surgery," he said."We’re in a little bit better shape."