Burnout is a growing and deeply concerning issue within the medical profession. It is not a matter of inadequate coping skills or personal weakness. Burnout is a response to chronic, often overwhelming demands placed on physicians in today’s healthcare system. At Wildflower Center for Emotional Health, our team of licensed therapists work with many physicians and other healthcare workers who are grappling with the emotional and psychological toll of their profession. In this article, we draw on our clinical experience and research findings to offer a clear understanding of what burnout is, how to recognize it, and what can be done to address it.
What Is Burnout?
Burnout is defined by the World Health Organization as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed (WHO, 2019). It has three primary dimensions: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (developing a sense of detachment or cynicism toward patients), and a reduced sense of personal efficacy or accomplishment. As psychologist Christina Maslach — a pioneer in burnout research — notes, burnout is not a medical condition, but an occupational phenomenon, and a form of long-term stress reaction (Maslach and Leiter, 2016). In the high-intensity environment of clinical medicine, burnout is disturbingly common: a 2018 systematic review encompassing 182 studies involving over 109,000 physicians across 45 countries found that the prevalence of overall burnout ranged from 0% to 80.5%, with a median of approximately 50% (Rotenstein et al., 2018).
Recognizing the Signs of Burnout
Burnout unfolds over time. Initially, physicians may notice persistent fatigue, irritability, or a growing emotional distance from their work. As it progresses, these symptoms can deepen into chronic cynicism, negativity, and a sense of futility — where once-meaningful work becomes anything but. You may also start to notice that you are questioning your competence, achievement, and/or decision to enter the field, “Maybe this was all a mistake.” As burnout progresses unaddressed, physicians may feel emotionally numb, fantasize about leaving medicine, or begin to experience symptoms of depression or anxiety. Recognizing these shifts early is key to intervention. Ask yourself: Is this just a hard week, or is there a deeper sense of depletion that rest alone isn’t resolving?
What Contributes to Burnout?
To help you better understand your vulnerability to burnout, Maslach and Leiter’s areas of worklife model provides a helpful framework. It highlights six factors that contribute to burnout: workload, control, reward, community, fairness, and values (Maslach et al., 2001). For physicians, workload is often excessive, with long hours and high patient demands. Control is limited by bureaucratic constraints, reducing autonomy. Reward, both intrinsic and extrinsic, may feel insufficient when physicians perceive their efforts as undervalued or undercompensated.
The remaining areas — community, fairness, and values — also play a crucial role. A lack of supportive community can lead to isolation, while perceived unfairness in workload distribution or resource access can heighten stress. Misalignment of values, where personal beliefs conflict with institutional goals, can result in moral injury and deep dissatisfaction. Tackling these factors is essential for creating a more supportive and sustainable work environment for physicians.
The impact of burnout reaches beyond the hospital or clinic. While it has been linked to increased rates of medical errors, reduced patient satisfaction, and higher staff turnover, the personal costs are equally profound. Many physicians are also managing family obligations, caring for children or aging parents, and maintaining relationships outside of work — all while under immense pressure. When there’s nothing left to give at the end of the day, it’s not only professional performance that suffers, but the capacity to be present with loved ones and to care for one’s own health.
I’m Experiencing Burnout — Now What?
Addressing burnout requires both systemic change and individual action. While institutional reforms around workload, administrative burden, and staffing are critical, individual strategies can still play a powerful role. Physicians can begin by building awareness of their own stress patterns and identifying specific triggers. The key question becomes, “What is driving my burnout?” Next, carving out even small amounts of time each week for restorative activities, such as exercise, creative pursuits, being in nature, or meaningful time spent with family, has been shown to reduce burnout symptoms (West et al., 2016). Mindfulness-based stress reduction, brief nature breaks, or simply unplugging during meals can create essential moments of recovery throughout the day.
Boundary setting is another core component of burnout prevention. Many physicians struggle to say no, driven by a deep sense of responsibility and internalized pressure to “push through.” But without boundaries, even the most dedicated clinicians will become overwhelmed. Protecting non-clinical time, limiting after-hours charting, and delegating when possible are vital strategies for maintaining stamina. Peer support also matters: informal conversations with trusted colleagues or participation in structured support groups can reduce isolation and normalize the emotional burden of clinical work.
Therapy to Address Burnout
Therapy is a particularly effective resource — and one that more physicians are beginning to turn to. At Wildflower, we regularly work with medical professionals navigating stress and burnout, perfectionism, moral injury, and identity shifts. Therapy offers a confidential space to reflect, process, and problem-solve. It also provides tools to build emotional resilience and reconnect with what brings meaning and vitality to life both inside and outside of medicine. Let’s be clear: seeking therapy isn’t a sign that something is wrong with you — it’s a step toward sustaining your ability to keep showing up, for others and for yourself.
If you’re experiencing symptoms of burnout, or even if you’re simply feeling overwhelmed or disconnected, we encourage you to reach out. Therapists at Wildflower Center for Emotional Health are here to support physicians in building lives that are not only professionally fulfilling but emotionally sustainable. Your well-being is not a luxury: it’s a necessity. Reach out to learn more.
References
World Health Organization. (2019). Burn-out an occupational phenomenon: International Classification of Diseases. World Health Organization. Retrieved from https://www.who.int/standards/classifications/frequently-asked-questions/burn-out-an-occupational-phenomenon
Maslach, C., & Leiter, M.P. (2016). Understanding the burnout experience: Recent research and its implications for psychiatry. World Psychiatry.
Rotenstein, L.S., et al. (2018). Prevalence of Burnout Among Physicians: A Systematic Review. JAMA, 320(11), 1131–1150.
Maslach C, Schaufeli WB, Leiter MP. Job burnout. Annu Rev Psychol. 2001;52:397–422.
West, C.P., Dyrbye, L.N., et al. (2016). Intervention to Promote Physician Well-being, Job Satisfaction, and Professionalism: A Randomized Clinical Trial. JAMA Internal Medicine.
