Physician burnout: a look at causes, effects and coping strategies

New data from Medscape found that rates of physician burnout are holding relatively steady, with just under half of physicians saying they feel burned out, but the effects of job-related stress are pervasive for doctors.

The good news is that the number is down from a post-pandemic high of 53% (according to Medscape survey data) in 2023. A similar trend was reported earlier this year by the AMA, which said data showed slight improvements in rates of physician burnout.

But the new Medscape data point to deep-seated concerns about physician burnout, from the duration and intensity of physician burnout to the effects on personal relationships and coping strategies. Here are data from Medscape’s 2026 Burnout & Physician Depression Report.

Frequency, severity and duration of physician burnout

Medscape’s 2026 survey found that just under half of physicians said they feel burned out at some point. More than 40% of physicians rated their burnout as severe, while 14% said burnout is so bad they’re considering leaving medicine altogether.

In terms of duration, 45% of physicians said they had felt burned out for two years or longer. About one-quarter (24%) said they had dealt with burnout from 13 months to two years, and 18% said they had experienced burnout for seven months to one year.

Doctor burnout is all about the job

• Medscape found that 99% of physicians said burnout is caused in some way by their work, not their personal lives. Half said work was solely responsible for their burnout.
• Two-thirds of physicians said they believe their burnout is more intense than what other professionals experience.
• Verbatim comments left in the survey said nonphysicians have “little understanding of all the mental energy it takes to perform proper and safe medical decision-making.” Added another physician: “No one in my personal life puts this much pressure on me.”

Burnout’s effect on personal relationships

• 73% of physicians said burnout is hurting their personal relationships.
• 79% said that they can “mitigate” the impact of burnout on those relationships; 21% said they couldn’t.

Are physicians seeking help?

• Nearly half (47%) of physicians said they are not seeking help for burnout or depression.
• 17% of physicians are receiving or planning to get professional help with burnout, while 14% are doing the same for depression. Another 19% said they have sought professional help in the past.
• Addressing the stigma of seeking help for burnout/depression, one OB/GYN told Medscape: “I hate my life, but escape isn’t an option, nor is inpatient psychotherapy (that would make me unemployable).”

Physician burnout by age

The Medscape survey found that millennials (29-44 year-olds) are significantly more likely to report moderate, mid-level burnout. Older physicians, by comparison, are “significantly more likely to report burnout so severe they’re considering leaving medicine altogether.”

Older doctors are also significantly more likely to report being burned out for more than two years. Millennials tend to report suffering from burnout for one to six months.

Top five factors in physician burnout

• Bureaucratic tasks (charting, paperwork): 63%.
• Too many work hours: 40%.
• Low compensation: 39%.
• Lack of respect (from employers, colleagues or staff): 38%.
• Lack of control/autonomy: 35%.

Top five coping strategies used by doctors

• Talk with family members/close friends: 48%.
• Exercise: 46%.
• Isolate myself from others: 40%.
• Sleep: 39%.
• Play/listen to music: 38%.

How have you tried to improve your work environment?

• Reduced work hours: 31%.
• Changed work setting/job: 24%.
• Eased workload with changes to practice/staff: 22%.
• Talked to employer about pressure of productivity: 19%.
• Sold practice: 3%.

What could your employer do to reduce burnout?

Nearly half (49%) of physicians said their employers don’t recognize that doctor burnout is a problem. Here are solutions doctors said their employers could implement to help reduce burnout:

• Increase compensation: 49%.
• Make work schedule more manageable: 48%.
• Add more support staff: 42%.
• Increase physician autonomy: 42%.
• Lighten patient loads: 40%.

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