SynthesisAnnals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England2020
Factors associated with burnout syndrome in surgeons: a systematic review.
Synthesis in Annals of the Royal College of Surgeons of England, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 73 papers, 4 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
73 citing papers in PubMed, 4 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 205 citations in OpenAlex.
- Surgeon well-being: a systematic review of stressors, mental health, and resilience.BMC surgery · 2025Pooled it
- Pooled it
- What are the learning objectives in surgical training - a systematic literature review of the surgical competence framework.BMC medical education · 2024Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Individual-Based Strategies to Reduce Nurse Burnout: An Umbrella Review.Journal of nursing management · 2024Pooled it
- Burnout and Work Engagement among Otorhinolaryngologists in Türkiye: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Survey.Turkish archives of otorhinolaryngology · 2026Article
- The global surgical workforce crisis: narrative review of the role of surgical educator development and technological innovations.Surgery today · 2026Review
- Burnout and perceived health in medical residents after the COVID-19 pandemic: a single-center cross-sectional study.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2026Article
- The burden of unwanted e-mails in academic surgery: a cross-sectional study.International journal of surgery (London, England) · 2025Article
- Relationship between work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and burnout symptoms among preclinical and clinical dental students: a cross-sectional study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Article
- A Nationwide Survey to Investigate Burnout and Quality of Life Among Thoracic Surgery Residents in Italy.Healthcare (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Occupational burnout among healthcare workers in Central Asia during the COVID-19 pandemic.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Patient safety culture through the lenses of surgical patients: a qualitative study.BMC health services research · 2025Article
- Work-Life Balance in Pediatric Orthopaedics: The Role of the Leaders.Journal of the Pediatric Orthopaedic Society of North America · 2025Article
- Importance of Exercise for Career Longevity: Maintaining Fitness, Strength, and Flexibility as a Plastic Surgeon.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2025Article
- Effects of burnout syndrome on pregnancy and the postpartum period.Revista da Associacao Medica Brasileira (1992) · 2025Article
- Article
- Harmful dimensions of medical culture in relation to physician burnout: A cross-sectional study.PLOS mental health · 2025Article
- Beyond capacity: an EAST multicenter mixed-methods study exploring surgeon perceptions on patient ratios in acute care surgery.Trauma surgery & acute care open · 2025Article
- The Patients are Thriving: Further Evidence of Improved Outcomes for Women Surgeons.Annals of surgery open : perspectives of surgical history, education, and clinical approaches · 2024Article
- An Organizational-Level Workplace Intervention to Improve Medical Doctors' Sustainable Employability: Study Protocol for a Participatory Action Research Study.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2024Article
13 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionTo date, studies have shown a high prevalence of burnout in surgeons. Various factors have been found to be associated with burnout, and it has significant consequences personally and systemically. Junior doctors are increasingly placing their own health and wellbeing as the most important factor in their decisions about training. Finding ways to reduce and prevent burnout is imperative to promote surgical specialties as attractive training pathways.
methodsThe MEDLINE, PsychInfo and EMBASE databases were searched using the subject headings related to surgery and burnout. All full text articles that reported data related to burnout were eligible for inclusion. Articles which did not use the Maslach Burnout Inventory or included non-surgical groups were excluded; 62 articles fulfilled the criteria for inclusion.
findingsYounger age and female sex tended to be associated with higher levels of burnout. Those further in training had lower levels of burnout, while residents suffered more than their seniors. Burnout is associated with a lower personal quality of life, depression and alcohol misuse. Academic work and emotional intelligence may be protective of burnout. Certain personality types are less likely to be burnt out. Mentorship may reduce levels of burnout.
conclusionsWorkload and work environment are areas that could be looked at to reduce job demands that lead to burnout. Intervening in certain psychological factors such as emotional intelligence, resilience and mindfulness may help to reduce burnout. Promoting physical and mental health is important in alleviating burnout, and these factors likely have a complex interplay.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.