Oncologist Burnout: Causes, Consequences, and Responses
Abstract
"Although the practice of oncology can be
extremely rewarding, it is also one of the most demanding and stressful
areas of
medicine. Oncologists are faced with life and death
decisions on a daily basis, administer incredibly toxic therapies with
narrow therapeutic windows, must keep up with the
rapid pace of scientific and treatment advances, and continually walk a
fine line between providing palliation and
administering treatments that lead to excess toxicity. Personal distress
precipitated
by such work-related stress may manifest in a
variety of ways including depression, anxiety, fatigue, and low mental
quality
of life. Burnout also seems to be one of the most
common manifestations of distress among physicians, with studies
suggesting
a prevalence of 35% among medical oncologists, 38%
among radiation oncologists, and 28% to 36% among surgical oncologists.
Substantial evidence suggests that burnout can
impact quality of care in a variety of ways and has potentially profound
personal
implications for physicians including suicidal
ideation. In this review, we examine the causes, consequences, and
personal
ramifications of oncologist burnout and explore the
steps oncologists can take to promote personal well-being and
professional
satisfaction."
