Physician specialties with the highest burnout rates

Emergency medicine physicians are the most burnt out physician specialists for the second year in a row, with 63% experiencing burnout, according to Medscape's 2024 "Physician Burnout and Depression Report," published Jan. 24.

For the report, Medscape polled 9,226 practicing U.S. physicians across more than 29 specialties from July 5 to Oct. 9. 

Here are 25 physician specialties and the corresponding percentages of burnt-out practitioners: 

Emergency medicine: 63% 

OB-GYN: 53% 

Oncology: 53% 

Pediatrics: 51% 

Family medicine: 51% 

Radiology: 51% 

Pulmonary medicine: 50% 

Anesthesiology: 50%

Gastroenterology: 50%

Internal medicine: 50% 

Urology: 49% 

Cardiology: 47% 

Nephrology: 46% 

Physical medicine and rehabilitation: 46% 

Dermatology: 46% 

Critical care: 45% 

General surgery: 45% 

Diabetes and endocrinology: 44%

Neurology: 44%

Orthopedics: 44%

Otolaryngology: 43% 

Pathology: 41% 

Psychiatry: 39% 

Ophthalmology: 39% 

Plastic surgery: 37%

Copyright © 2025 Becker's Healthcare. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy. Cookie Policy. Linking and Reprinting Policy.


You can unsubscribe from these communications at any time. For more information, please review our Privacy Policy.
 

Articles We Think You'll Like