Burnout in the medical profession

Causes, consequences and solutions

Summary:

Chronic emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and stress-related disinterest may be more common in physicians than many other professional groups, given the nature of the work. Maurice De Valk and Lotte Oostrom review current literature and discuss approaches to prevention and management.

BURNOUT and other stress-related illnesses among physicians are receiving increased attention and have been described in many branches of medical practice, including general medicine, family practice, surgery, and intensive care^1,2. According to the American psychologist Christina Maslach, burnout.…

Lotte Oostrom is an industrial psychologist at Adviesgroep Intermedic in The Hague, Netherlands.

Dr Maurice De Valk is an occupational physician and CEO at Adviesgroep Intermedic.

Author: De Valk M, Oostrom C

Tags burnout mental health stress

Occupational Health at Work June/July 2007 (vol. 04/1) pp24-28

Download full article