Medical Staff

Academic hospitalists burned out

Hospitalist Leadership Connection, May 3, 2011

Academic hospitalists are increasingly burned out with less time dedicated to academic work, according to “Career satisfaction and burnout in academic hospital medicine,” published in the April 25 Archives of Internal Medicine. Although academic hospitalists are growing, few advance to senior level positions.

University of Colorado researchers surveyed 266 hospitalists at 20 academic medical centers. Researchers found that 67% of academic hospitalists expressed having high levels of stress and 23% being burned out, according Medscape Medical News.

According to the survey:

  • More than half of the respondents said they have little opportunity for academic work
  • 55% reported that one-fifth or less of their work time was protected for scholarly work
  • 20% said at least 80% of their time was for nonteaching duties
  • 49% reported having been listed as first author on a peer-reviewed article.
  • 26% presented at grand rounds at their institution and 24% at another institution.

Respondents, however, did report they were generally satisfied with their jobs. Seventy-five percent reported job satisfaction with 63% satisfied with the support they received from their division and 54% satisfied with their schedules.

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