Purpose Physician burnout is on the rise compared to the average population, and radiology burnout rates are ranked high compared to other specialties. We aim to assess radiologist and radiology trainee burnout in Canada. Methods A survey using the abbreviated 7-item Maslach Burnout Inventory that characterizes burnout symptoms into personal accomplishment, emotional exhaustion, and depersonalization was sent to all eligible members of the Canadian Association of Radiologists in January 2018. The anonymous survey was hosted on SurveyMonkey for 1 month. A reminder e-mail was sent halfway through the survey period. Results Overall, 262 of 1401 invited radiology trainees and radiologists completed the survey (response rate 18.7%). With regards to personal accomplishment, we observed that (1) burnout in this domain improved with increased years worked and (2) milder symptoms were observed in community radiologists compared with their academic counterparts. In comparison with other studies of radiologist burnout, we found mild burnout symptoms in personal accomplishment, but severe symptoms in the burnout domains of both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Conclusions Canadian radiologists and radiology trainees reported above average burnout symptoms with regard to both emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Future research directions include exploring etiologies of burnout and implementation of treatment strategies based on these identified problem areas.

Purpose: There is worsening of burnout symptoms experienced by radiologists and trainees. We explored potential factors that exacerbate burnout symptoms observed in the Canadian radiological community and currently available protective factors as next steps for establishing viable solutions for burnout. Methods: An 11-question electronic survey was distributed to Canadian radiologists and trainees through the Canadian Association of Radiologists (CAR). Approval from a local ethics board and the CAR were obtained. The survey contained demographics-related questions as well as questions based on common risk factors for burnout. Qualitative and quantitative analyses were performed. Results: The survey was distributed to 2200 CAR members, and a response rate of 23.3% was achieved. Most radiologists experienced frequent unexpected high workload with no statistically significant difference by the type of practice. Trainees experienced a statistically significantly ( P < .0001) higher frequency of on-call shifts compared to staff radiologists. A statistically significant difference ( P < .0001) was observed for perceived threats to career longevity dependent on length of career. Although support mechanisms for radiology were perceived as available, survey commentary suggested inefficiency in their usage and lack of prioritization, which was a trend observed across all types of practice. Conclusions: While there is awareness for radiology needs, changes are required at the workplace level to reduce burnout symptoms at their source. Communication between radiologists and hospital administration, as well as among radiology group members, is key to prioritize radiology needs in our imaging-driven era of health care.