What Is Underlying Resident Burnout in Urology and What Can Be Done to Address this?

Physician burnout-a constellation of depersonalization, emotional exhaustion, reduced feelings of personal attachment, and a low sense of accomplishment-is a term that has been around since the 1980s. Burnout rates among residents and fellows are higher than medical students, attending physicians, and age-matched college graduates, with rates ranging from 40-80% of trainees across subspecialties. Unfortunately, burnout among residents and trainees has been linked to lower scores on in-service examinations for internal medicine residents as well as poorer overall health and exercise habits. The purpose of this review is to quantify the extent of burnout among urology residents and examine effective techniques and measures to prevent burnout and practically what can be done to combat this growing epidemic.