We aim to determine the percentage of emergency physicians who experience burnout and its various dimensions (emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, low personal fulfillment), stratified by type of medical center, age and sex.
Burnout is a highly prevalent condition among healthcare professionals, especially in emergency services, where work overload, long shifts, and constant exposure to stressful situations are daily realities.
To better understand this problem, Dr. Marcela Garridodirector of the Department of Emergency Medicine at the School of Medicine, together with Dr. Valentina Garnham, an academic of the Department of Emergency Medicine of the School of Medicine, thanks to the awarding of a grant from the Competitive Funds of the Medical College of Santiago,will conduct a study that seeks to evaluate the magnitude of burnout and the factors associated with its development in physicians working in these environments.
The main objective of the project is to estimate the prevalence of burnout syndrome and analyze its relationship with work-related, personal, and organizational variables among physicians working in both public and private emergency services throughout Chile.
The target population is composed of medical professionals who have worked at least four 12-hour shifts in emergency services during the past month, regardless of whether they are members of a medical association or the type of contract they hold.
"Among the expected outcomes is the estimation of the national prevalence of burnout in this group, as well as the identification of risk factors, such as excessive workload, work-related violence, or teaching without institutional support. Protective factors, including recreational activities and organizational support systems, will also be investigated," says Dr. Garrido.
The findings of the study will be disseminated through a technical report, a scientific article, and an executive document addressed to trade union, health, and academic authorities, with the purpose of guiding concrete interventions that promote professional well-being and prevent burnout in this critical healthcare sector.