At some time or another most people reach a point in their careers where they feel burned out. The potential repercussions of these feelings vary widely depending on the occupation of the person experiencing it. Many would probably agree that the dangers associated with a doctor feeling burned out are potentially much greater than for an office worker who is feeling that way. Unfortunately this does happen and medical errors are just one potential side effect.

Recently, a study was conducted in which doctors were asked about their experiences surrounding burnout. Conducted in June of 2011, the shortened version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory revealed that 45.8 percent of those who responded had dealt with a minimum of one symptom of the condition. More specifically:

• 37 percent indicated high emotional exhaustion
• 29.4 percent reported high depersonalization
• 12.4 percent had a sense of personal accomplishment considered to be low

The rates of burnout reflected in this study are higher than those reported in previous studies. Past studies indicate the burnout rate is somewhere between 30 and 40 percent.

Perhaps not surprisingly, doctors whose practice entails being on the "front lines," such as those in family medicine, emergency medicine and general internal medicine, resulted in higher rates of burnout. Conversely, doctors specializing in general pediatrics, pathology, preventative medicine and dermatology, were on the opposite end of the spectrum.

While it is of course necessary to determine something is an issue before it can be addressed, at this point it is unclear how best to handle the burnout that could potentially lead to medical malpractice lawsuits due to negligence of hospital staff such as doctors.

Source: Time.com, "Is your doctor burned out?" Alexandra Sifferlin, Aug. 28, 2012