Secrets to psychological success: Why older doctors might have lower psychological distress and burnout than younger doctors

Abstract

Findings from this study suggest that older, more experienced doctors report lower psychological distress and burnout than younger doctors which the older doctors attributed to lessons learned over their years of training and practice. It may be of considerable value to find ways to more efficiently pass on these lessons to younger doctors to aid them in dealing with this challenging profession. By soliciting older doctors to aid in this transfer of knowledge, this approach may also have the added benefit of assisting older doctors in transitioning from an active clinical practice to a role of mentoring the new physician cohort.

Burnout, occupational stressors, and social support in psychiatric and medical trainees

“…It is possible that present low response may have introduced non-response bias, as respondents may have been among the most distressed medical trainees or/and the least distressed psychiatric. Nonetheless, burnout means and standard deviations, as well as bracket percentages in the whole and the psychiatric samples were very similar to those reported in the literature 19,26 ; the figures for general medical trainees were slightly higher than usual, but only by less than half a standard deviation.…”

Work-Family Conflict among Junior Physicians: Its Mediating Role in the Relationship between Role Overload and Emotional Exhaustion

“…The recognition of negative psychological consequences of emotional exhaustion has directed attention towards the role of contributing factors such as appropriate workload and reduced workfamily conflict in addressing the problem of emotional exhaustion experienced by employees. Although previous studies have reported the effects of role overload (Chopra et al, 2004;Innstrand et al, 2008;Piesah et al, 2009;Maslach et al, 2001) and workfamily conflict (Innstrand et al, 2008;Baron and Kenny, 1986a;Bergman et al, 2008;Fu and Shaffer, 2001) and their interactions with other variables on emotional exhaustion, the use of a model for understanding the mediating impact of work-family conflict on the relationship between the role overload as a stressor and emotional exhaustion as a consequence has not been given much attention.…”

Burnout in surgeons and organisational interventions

“…18 Here, senior surgeons have significant leadership roles to play, and research shows that involvement and support by leaders in surgery for such organisational interventions led to a greater likelihood of positive outcomes. 19 However, in general, physicians are educated to be proficient doctors in clinical practice; they are not trained to be emotionally intelligent leaders with the ability to recognise emotions in others and channel their own emotions into behaviours that are appropriate for the situation, rather than withdrawing themselves into a state of burnout. Indeed, there are several leadership-training programmes in the healthcare sector (e.g.…”

“…Older, more experienced physicians have been found to have lower psychological distress and burnout than younger physicians, as they have managed to develop effective coping strategies through their years of training and practice. 19 Therefore, senior surgeons as supervisors would be able to understand junior surgeons' stressful environment and identify more successful coping strategies for combating burnout. They could help their juniors and newcomers cultivate wellbeing.…”

“…They could help their juniors and newcomers cultivate wellbeing. 3,19 In the UK, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has published a guideline for promoting employee health and wellbeing. 20 Under this guideline, employers and senior leadership are responsible for creating a supportive environment enabling employees to be proactive when and if possible to protect and enhance their own health and wellbeing and for developing policies to support the workplace culture, such as respect for work-life balance.…”