Obstetrics & Gynecology Track the topics, authors and articles important to you
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

Obstetrics & Gynecology 2007;109:949-955
© 2007 by The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Keeton, K.
Right arrow Articles by Hayward, R. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Keeton, K.
Right arrow Articles by Hayward, R. A.

ORIGINAL RESEARCH

Predictors of Physician Career Satisfaction, Work–Life Balance, and Burnout

Kristie Keeton, MD, MPH1, Dee E. Fenner, MD1, Timothy R. B. Johnson, MD1 and Rodney A. Hayward, MD2

From the 1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Michigan; and 2Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Center for Practice Management and Outcomes Research, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System; the Michigan Robert Wood Johnson Clinical Scholars Program and the Departments of Internal Medicine and Health Management and Policy, University of Michigan Schools of Medicine and Public Health, Ann Arbor, Michigan.

OBJECTIVE: To explore factors associated with physician career satisfaction, work–life balance, and burnout focusing on differences across age, gender, and specialty.

METHODS: A cross-sectional, mailed, self-administered survey was sent to a national sample of 2,000 randomly-selected physicians, stratified by specialty, age, and gender (response rate 48%). Main outcome measures included career satisfaction, burnout, and work–life balance. Scales ranged from 1 to 100.

RESULTS: Both women and men report being highly satisfied with their careers (79% compared with 76%, P<.01), having moderate levels of satisfaction with work–life balance (48% compared with 49%, P=.24), and having moderate levels of emotional resilience (51% compared with 53%, P=.09). Measures of burnout strongly predicted career satisfaction (standardized ß 0.36–0.60, P<.001). The strongest predictor of work–life balance and burnout was having some control over schedule and hours worked (standardized ß 0.28, P<.001, and 0.20–0.32, P<.001, respectively). Physician gender, age, and specialty were not strong independent predictors of career satisfaction, work–life balance, or burnout.

CONCLUSION: This national physician survey suggests that physicians can struggle with work–life balance yet remain highly satisfied with their career. Burnout is an important predictor of career satisfaction, and control over schedule and work hours are the most important predictors of work–life balance and burnout.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II






HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2007 by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.