2024: 5 doctor specialties with the least burnout

The following is from MedPage Today.

Med School Insiders previously covered the specialties with the highest rates of burnout. But which specialties report the least burnout, according to the Med School Insiders’ list?

5. Otolaryngology

Fifth from the bottom of the list, with 43% of practicing physicians reporting burnout, is otolaryngology, often referred to as ENT.

ENT is a surgical subspecialty focused on diseases of the head and neck region, including the vocal cords, nose, sinuses, ears, thyroid, and parathyroid. In addition, ENT also deals with head and neck cancers and facial plastics. The lifestyle of an ENT physician is family-friendly and flexible. They are able to focus on the clinic or divide their time between the clinic and the OR. Clinic days will have regular 9-to-5 hours, and OR days can either be half-days or full 12-hour days if facing more complex cases.

4. Pathology

Fourth from the bottom is pathology, with 41% of pathologists reporting burnout.

Pathologists study bodily tissues and fluids. Similar to radiology, pathology is considered a “support specialty,” since it’s secondary to the clinical staff. Pathologists examine specimens to give tissue diagnoses, and they also manage all of the clinical labs ordered by other physicians, whether that’s microbiology, hematology, chemistry, or everything in between.

It’s a slow-paced specialty with low on-call responsibilities and an above-average work-life balance and lifestyle. The average pathologist only works about 47 hours per week while making $339K per year.

3. Psychiatry

Coming in at the third best specialty for low burnout is psychiatry at 39%. Psychiatrists focus on understanding and treating mental health disorders as well as psychological distress. They use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, Fifth Edition, to assess a patient’s symptoms and determine if they exhibit a diagnosable disorder. Psychiatrists can also help patients with psychological distress from past trauma, difficult relationships, pain, or other high-stress situations.

In other words, psychiatrists spend a great deal of time with their patients to get to know them, meaning it’s a slower-paced specialty that involves a lot of conversation. While these physicians do face plenty of charting, it’s spread across far fewer patients.

2. Ophthalmology

The second best specialty for low burnout is ophthalmology, tied with psychiatry at 39%.

Ophthalmologists handle ocular and orbital diseases, which is anything relating to the eyes and the immediate surrounding structures. It’s a unique specialty as it isn’t a strictly medical or surgical field, but rather a blend of both, so there’s plenty of flexibility and variety.Plus, it’s a highly innovative field with cutting-edge technology, like optical coherence tomography, or OCT, which uses near-infrared technology to produce cross-sectional pictures of a patient’s retina.

Ophthalmologists don’t have to come in on weekends, and call is generally light. For the most part, it’s a regular 8-to-5 job.

1. Plastic Surgery

And finally, at number 1, with only 37% of physicians reporting burnout, is plastic surgery.

Plastic surgeons primarily focus on soft tissue, such as fat, skin, and muscle, to reconstruct or reshape a patient’s appearance or function. They are able to work on any part of the body, from face to hands to feet to genitalia, which differentiates these surgeons from other surgical subspecialists.

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