Faculty Bibliography

OBJECTIVE:To study prevalence of and factors that contribute to burnout, career satisfaction, and well-being in US neurologists. METHODS:A total of 4,127 US American Academy of Neurology member neurologists who had finished training were surveyed using validated measures of burnout, career satisfaction, and well-being from January 19 to March 21, 2016. RESULTS:Response rate was 40.5% (1,671 of 4,127). Average age of participants was 51 years, with 65.3% male and nearly equal representation across US geographic regions. Approximately 60% of respondents had at least one symptom of burnout. Hours worked/week, nights on call/week, number of outpatients seen/week, and amount of clerical work were associated with greater burnout risk. Effective support staff, job autonomy, meaningful work, age, and subspecializing in epilepsy were associated with lower risk. Academic practice (AP) neurologists had a lower burnout rate and higher rates of career satisfaction and quality of life than clinical practice (CP) neurologists. Some factors contributing to burnout were shared between AP and CP, but some risks were unique to practice setting. Factors independently associated with profession satisfaction included meaningfulness of work, job autonomy, effectiveness of support staff, age, practicing sleep medicine (inverse relationship), and percent time in clinical practice (inverse relationship). Burnout was strongly associated with decreased career satisfaction. CONCLUSIONS:Burnout is common in all neurology practice settings and subspecialties. The largest driver of career satisfaction is the meaning neurologists find in their work. The results from this survey will inform approaches needed to reduce burnout and promote career satisfaction and well-being in US neurologists.

This report considers the recommendations of the State Society Task Force (SSTF), which evaluated how the relationship between the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) and neurologic societies of individual states can foster the care of patients with neurologic diseases. The task force also evaluated the role of state neurosociety and state medical society interactions in supporting the profession of neurology. The SSTF recommended that the AAN expand current support services to state neurosocieties and foster additional neurosociety development. Specific services to be considered by the AAN include online combined AAN/state neurosociety dues payment and enhanced Web support. The role of the AAN as a liaison between state neurosocieties and state medical societies is important to facilitate state level advocacy for neurology.