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%

Subscribe to the following topics: 1 emergency medicine2. burnout3. physician specialists4. medscape5. physician burnout and depression report6. practicing u.s. physicians7. specialties8. burnt-out practitioners

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