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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 plastic surgeons 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 plastic surgeon can be challenging, although compared with their colleagues, plastic surgeons' happiness is toward the top of the pack. Thirty-eight percent 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 plastic surgeons, are happier outside of the office. Somewhat more than half of plastic surgeons 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 plastic surgeon burnout. Other factors include more time devoted to the EHR. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Forty percent of plastic surgeons turn to sleeping to deal with their burnout, while nearly the same percentage isolate themselves or exercise, illustrating the variety in coping mechanisms among physicians. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
The large majority of plastic surgeons who reported being depressed said they have not felt suicidal. However, one tenth of plastic surgeons said they had had suicidal thoughts, while 1% said they had attempted suicide.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Sixty percent of depressed and/or burned-out plastic surgeons plan to deal with their emotions themselves. Fourteen percent 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, plastic surgeons are somewhat unlikely to access such services.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
The main factor keeping plastic surgeons from seeking help for their burnout and depression is not considering their symptoms severe enough. Other factors include being too busy and feeling that they could handle it on their own. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Thirty-six percent of plastic surgeons take 3-4 weeks of vacation per year, which is a somewhat lower percentage than that of all physicians (44%). Only 7% of plastic surgeons spend more than 6 weeks away from the office.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
BMW is the most popular make among plastic surgeons, followed closely by Toyota, Audi, and Mercedes-Benz. Among all physicians, Toyota and Honda are the top makes. (Respondents could choose more than one answer.)
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Nearly three quarters of plastic surgeons 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
Eighty-two percent of plastic surgeons said they spend 10 hours or less on the Internet for their work. Among all physicians, 75% spend that amount of time online for their jobs.
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Thirty-eight percent of plastic surgeons 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
Twenty-seven percent of plastic surgeons 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
Thirty-nine percent of plastic surgeons reported having fewer than one alcoholic beverage per week. The percentage of plastic surgeons who said they have more than six drinks per week is somewhat higher than the percentage for physicians overall (7%).
Keith L. Martin | February 12, 2020 | Contributor Information
Nearly half of plastic surgeons 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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