Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39103663›Full record

ArticleSurgical endoscopy2024

A cross sectional survey on burnout and career satisfaction in surgeons: a joint work from the SAGES quality, outcomes, and safety and reimaging the practice of surgery burnout task forces.

Deborah S Keller, Nisha Narula, Erin Schwarz, John D Mellinger, Liane S Feldman, Jonathan Dort, Horacio J Asbun, John Romanelli

Abstract read
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Article in Surgical endoscopy, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Assessing the urologist workforce in British Columbia Wait times, workload, and burnout in 2022.Canadian Urological Association journal = Journal de l'Association des urologues du Canada · 2026
    Article
  3. Reimagining Recruitment and Retention in Academic Plastic Surgery.Plastic and reconstructive surgery. Global open · 2026
    Article
  4. Surgeon Burnout and Relationships: A Missing Component in the Ongoing Conversation.HSS journal : the musculoskeletal journal of Hospital for Special Surgery · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Deborah S KellerDepartment of Digestive Surgery, University of Strasbourg, 1 Place de L'Hopital, 67000, Strasbourg, France. debby_keller@hotmail.com.ORCID 0000-0002-8645-6206
Nisha NarulaDepartment of Surgery, Rutgers-New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, USA.
Erin SchwarzBSC Management and Vivacity Consulting, Los Angeles, CA, USA.
John D MellingerAmerican Board of Surgery, Philadelphia, PA, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-4230-311X
Liane S FeldmanDepartment of Surgery, McGill University, Montreal, QC, Canada.
Jonathan DortDepartment of Surgery, Inova Health System, Falls Church, VA, USA.
Horacio J AsbunMiami Cancer Institute at Baptist Health, Miami, FL, USA.
John RomanelliDepartment of Surgery, Baystate Health, Springfield, MA, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionThe growth of surgeon burnout is of significant concern. As we work to reimagine the practice of surgery, an accurate understanding of the extent of surgeon burnout is essential. Our goal was to define the current prevalence of burnout and quality of life (QOL) among SAGES surgeons. METHODOLOGY: An electronic survey was administered to SAGES members to establish a current baseline for QOL, burnout, depression, and career satisfaction. To assess outcomes, we utilized the validated Maslach Burnout Inventory for Medical Personnel, the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form, and the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders. All scoring followed validated norm-based methods.

resultsOf 4194 active members, 604 responded (14.40%). 69% met burnout threshold, with high levels of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, and low personal accomplishment. 81% reported "being at the end of their rope", 74% felt emotionally drained, and 65% felt used up daily. Nearly all maintained caring about what happened to their patients (96%), easily understanding how their patients feel (84.3%) and being capable of dealing effectively with their patient's problems (87.6%). However, respondents never, rarely, or occasionally felt energetic (77.5%) or experienced a sense of professional accomplishment (57.8%). The overall QOL score was 69/100, with lower Mental than Physical scores (62.69 (SD 10.20) vs.77.27 (SD 22.24)). More than half of respondents met depression criteria. While 77% supported they would become a physician again, less than half would choose surgery again or recommend surgery to their children. Furthermore, less than a third felt work allowed sufficient time for their personal lives.

conclusionsParticipating SAGES surgeons reported alarmingly high rates of burnout and depression. Despite experiencing emotional exhaustion and depersonalization, they maintained a strong commitment to patient care. These findings likely reflect the broader state of surgeons, underscoring the urgent need for action to address this critical issue.

Indexed as

Burnout, ProfessionalJob SatisfactionQuality of LifeSurgeonsAdultCross-Sectional StudiesDepressionFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedPrevalenceSurveys and QuestionnairesUnited StatesBurnoutDepressionPatient safetyQuality of lifeSurgical quality

Identifiers

PMID39103663

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

None linked

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.