ABFM Research Project Aimed at Understanding Factors Contributing to Burnout in Women Family Physicians

Recent studies have found a high rate of burnout among family physicians, especially young physicians, and particularly among women. The research teams at the American Board of Family Medicine (ABFM) and the American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) Robert Graham Center led a three-phased study, Sustaining Women in Medicine (SWIM), aimed at understanding the factors contributing to burnout in women family physicians and to learning about interventions that may help curb or eliminate burnout in this population.

A study of ABFM Diplomates found that women were more likely than men to report symptoms of burnout at the beginning and ends of their careers, with the highest rates occurring in those under 40 years of age. The survey of physicians who were three-years out of residency indicate that 44% of the women in the sample met typical criteria for burnout.

Other studies have shown that workplace factors are often associated with burnout. Practicing full scope family medicine appears to be protective, with younger physicians being less likely to report burnout if they have a broader scope of practice. To read more about the study and the results, visit the SWIM webpage.