Burnout is common among medical residents

Nearly half of all resident physicians in the U.S. experience at least one major symptom of burnout, such as emotional exhaustion, according to new research. Researchers followed nearly 3,600 participants from their fourth year in medical school to their second year of residency and found burnout rates were even higher in some specialties, including neurology, general surgery, and emergency medicine. That’s cause for concern: Not only can burnout take a significant toll on physicians themselves, but it could also contribute to errors in patient care, the authors say. The good news from the study: The majority of residents are still satisfied with their career choice.