Burnout is rising among all physicians, but the rates are highest for those practicing emergency medicine, followed by OB-GYNs, according to Medscape's "Obstetrics/Gynecology Lifestyle & Burnout Report 2018."
Here are six things to know about burnout for OB-GYNs:
1. Fifty-percent of OB-GYNs reported being burned out, depressed or both, behind neurologists (55 percent) and critical care physicians (54 percent).
2. Only 26 percent of OB-GYNs described themselves as "very" or "extremely" happy at work. Ophthalmology had the highest percentage of physicians reporting being "very" or "extremely" happy, at 37 percent.
3. Twenty-one percent of OB-GYNs with depression said it does not affect their behavior in the workplace. For respondents who did report depression affecting workplace behavior, the top manifestations were becoming less engaged and more easily exasperated with staff/peers.
4. While 38 percent of OB-GYNs said depression does not affect their interaction with patients, 37 percent reported it makes them more easily exasperated with patients.
5. Of OB-GYNs whose workplace offers a program to reduce stress and burnout, 73 percent said they had not participated.
6. The burnout rate for female OB-GYNs was 23 percent higher than that of their male peers.