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Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Being a physician comes with the constant struggle to balance work and personal life, and cardiologists are no different. This Medscape report explores how these doctors deal with burnout and other wellness issues, as well as their life outside of the office.
(Note: Some totals in this presentation do not equal 100% due to rounding.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
A career as a cardiologist can be challenging. Compared with their colleagues, cardiologists' happiness is toward the middle of the pack. About a quarter responded that they were very or extremely happy at work.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Perhaps not surprising, in general, physicians in all specialties, including cardiologists, are happier outside of the office. About half of cardiologists said they are either very or extremely happy when away from work.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
The growing number of bureaucratic tasks is the leading factor for cardiologist burnout. Another major factor is spending too many hours at work. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Forty-five percent of cardiologists turn to exercise to deal with their burnout, while similar percentages talk to family and friends or isolate themselves, illustrating the variety in coping mechanisms among physicians. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Of those cardiologists who said they are depressed, the majority said it has an impact on patient interactions. Forty-five percent of cardiologists said their depression does not get in the way of their work with patients. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
The large majority of cardiologists who reported being depressed said they have not felt suicidal. However, one tenth of cardiologists said they had had suicidal thoughts, while 1% said they had attempted suicide.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
About three quarters of depressed and/or burned-out cardiologists plan to deal with their emotions themselves. One tenth are seeking help now or plan to do so.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
While wellness programs in healthcare organizations and hospitals are becoming more common, cardiologists are divided on whether they would access such services.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
The two main factors keeping cardiologists from seeking help for their burnout and depression are feeling that they could handle it on their own and not considering their symptoms severe enough. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
The vast majority of cardiologists, regardless of gender, are married. Overall, 8% of physicians are single, similar to the percentage of cardiologists (4%).
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Forty-seven percent of cardiologists take 3-4 weeks of vacation per year, which aligns closely with all physicians (44%). Only 7% of cardiologists spend more than 6 weeks away from the office.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Toyota is the top make among cardiologists, as it is among all physicians. BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Honda are also popular among cardiologists. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Nearly three quarters of cardiologists spend 1-10 hours per week on the Internet for personal use. According to a recent study by the USC Annenberg Center for the Digital Future, weekly Internet use at home rose from 12.3 hours in 2010 to 17.6 hours in 2016.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
The large majority of cardiologists said they spend 10 hours or less on the Internet for their work. Similarly, 75% of all physicians spend that amount of time online for their jobs.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
About one third of cardiologists say they regularly have the time to focus on their health and wellness goals. However, for the majority, it is a struggle to balance that with the workload and commitment they carry as physicians.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
One third of cardiologists say they manage to exercise at least four times a week. In 2018, the CDC found that only 23% of US adults are reaching their guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Nearly half of cardiologists reported having fewer than one alcoholic beverage per week. The percentage of cardiologists who said they have more than six drinks per week is similar to the percentage for physicians overall (7%).
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
A bit more than half of cardiologists reported feeling very or somewhat anxious about the US political climate as we approach the next presidential election. Physicians overall were also fairly divided in their concern over events coming out of Washington, DC.
Medscape Physician Lifestyle & Happiness Report 2020: The Generational Divide
More than 15,000 physicians of various generations told Medscape about their lives outside of medical practice.Medscape Features Slideshows, January 2020
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Comments on Medscape are moderated and should be professional in tone and on topic. You must declare any conflicts of interest related to your comments and responses. Please see our Commenting Guide for further information. We reserve the right to remove posts at our sole discretion.
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Keith L. Martin
Editorial Director, Medscape Business of Medicine
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