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Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
The lingering effects of a global pandemic continue to take a toll on the nation's physicians, and obstetricians and gynecologists are no exception.
In this year's report, Medscape explores physicians' happiness with their personal lives and their professional work, how their marriages and personal relationships are faring, as well as how they are maintaining their physical and mental health. More than 13,000 physicians across 29 specialties responded to the survey.
(Note: Some totals in this presentation do not equal 100% due to rounding.)
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
The stress and strain of the pandemic continues to affect physicians of various specialties. The percentage of ob/gyns who say they are currently "very" or "somewhat" happy outside of work is similar to that of physicians overall (59%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Ob/gyns were in the upper range of burned-out physicians in our survey. In last year's report, 42% of physicians reported that they are burned out; that's risen to 47% this year.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Female ob/gyns reported being burned out at a greater rate than their male colleagues.
"There's no question that women have reported far more role strain during the pandemic than men," says Carol A. Bernstein, MD, psychiatrist at Montefiore Health System and professor and vice chair for faculty development and wellbeing at Albert Einstein College of Medicine. "Often women assumed more of the childcare and homeschooling responsibilities in their households. As a result, we know that more women dropped out of the workforce. Also, past studies indicate that women are more likely to report feelings of burnout than men."
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
The volume of bureaucratic tasks is the main contributor to ob/gyn burnout, similar to that for physicians overall (60%). Too many work hours, lack of respect from colleagues, too little pay, and lack of control or autonomy were also selected as major factors in this year's report. (Participants could choose more than one response.)
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
More than half of ob/gyns reported that they were more burned out now than during the initial months of the pandemic, similar to physicians overall (55%). About a third said their burnout was the same.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Among their top strategies to quell burnout, ob/gyns reduced their hours at work and took advantage of meditation or other stress-reduction methods. Physicians overall also employed these among their top strategies. (Participants could choose more than one response.)
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
The large majority of ob/gyns are currently in a committed relationship, with 84% either married or living with a partner. Similarly, 83% of physicians overall report being in such a relationship.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Most physicians, no matter the specialty, appear to be in happy marriages.
Ob/gyns are toward the middle of all specialties when it comes to marital happiness. Otolaryngologists and allergists topped the list (both 91%), followed closely by dermatologists, rheumatologists, and nephrologists (all 90%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Sixty-one percent of ob/gyns are married to or partners with someone who does not work in medicine. This is a somewhat higher percentage than among all physicians (56%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Among ob/gyns balancing parenthood and a medical career, female physicians noted feeling conflicted at about three times the rate of their male peers (49% vs 16% were "very conflicted" or "conflicted").
This general attitude is reflected in almost all occupations, according to a Pew Research survey, which found that larger shares of mothers than fathers struggled with childcare responsibilities during the pandemic.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
A bit more than half of ob/gyns said they are willing to take a cut in pay for better work-life balance or more free time. This is similar among physicians overall (55%).
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Among all physicians who said they were depressed, about a quarter (24%) said they were clinically depressed. Closer to a fifth (18%) of ob/gyns reported the same.
"Burnout is a syndrome caused by occupational stress, whereas depression is an illness caused by many different biological, psychological, and social (including occupational) factors. As such, they can be causally related in both directions — burnout can be a vulnerability factor that leads to depression, and depression can make an individual more likely to suffer burnout," says Peter Yellowlees, MD, an expert in physician health.
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
About 6 in 10 depressed ob/gyns said their depression does not have an impact on relationships with patients. Of those who saw an impact, the major behavior they reported was being easily exasperated with patients. (Participants could choose more than one response.)
Sylvie M. Baggett; Keith L. Martin | February 18, 2022 | Contributor Information
Ob/gyns are choosing to spend their time with the ones they love, doing the things they enjoy, and exercising as main drivers to maintain their well-being, as are physicians overall. (Participants could choose more than one response.)
Alexis Polles, MD, medical director for the Professionals Resource Network, which assists impaired physicians, says that when doctors' lives get unbalanced, they need to find things that restore energy and joy.
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Sylvie M. Baggett
Lifestyle Editor
Medscape Medical Lifestyle
Keith L. Martin
Editorial Director
Medscape Business of Medicine
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