Doctor Burnout

In the CDC's Vital Signs report, the agency suggests more than double the number of health workers reported harassment at work in 2022 than in 2018.

A term coined to evoke the torment felt by soldiers as they process the cruelty of war, it's now used by doctors to describe the guilt and helplessness we feel when patients can't access needed care.

Although the pandemic made things worse, burnout among doctors is a long-standing concern that health systems have become more focused on as they try to stop doctors from quitting or retiring early.

You could call them hobbies. But for some health workers facing burnout, creative outlets provide more than solace — they give a sense of meaning and community.

Doctors who feel burned out are more likely to cut back on hours or leave medicine entirely. This costs hospitals and health care organizations billions each year, new research finds.