Burnout in the female surgical trainee; is it time to consider a more global approach to tackle this issue?

Abstract

Workplace related burnout is rampant in medicine. Prevalence is even higher in surgical specialties, higher during various stages of training, and higher still in females in these specialties. There has been a concerted effort by various deliberative bodies to institute policies to combat this. Efforts at institutional levels as well as community levels are encouraged. Some guidelines about techniques individuals can use have been reviewed recently in literature, i.e., resilience training, actively seeking mentorship, advocating for time for self-care, attention to medical needs etc. However, most of the published literature tackles different singular aspects of burnout. For female surgical trainees, we propose a comprehensive approach to tackling burnout. This paper outlines the various causes and the solutions currently in practice and hopes to act as a guide for female surgeons at various stages of their professional lives.

Keywords

• Burnout
• Suicidal ideation
• Resilience
• Physician wellness