Colin West, MD, PhD, and Christine Sinsky, MD, discuss physician burnout

Colin West, MD, PhD, and Christine Sinsky, MD, discuss findings from their study, “Resilience and Burnout Among Physicians and the General US Working Population,” published in JAMA Network Open in 2020.

This investigation found that physicians have significantly higher levels of resiliency than the general U.S. working population. The study also found that resilience is inversely associated with burnout symptoms. The authors discuss efforts that health care organization leaders can do to address system issues to reduce burnout and promote physician well-being.

Related study & article

• JAMA Network Open: Resilience and Burnout Among Physicians and the General US Working Population
• Forbes: Is The U.S. Healthcare System As Resilient As Its Doctors?

Christine Sinsky, MD, vice president of professional satisfaction, American Medical Association 

Dr. Sinsky is the vice president of professional satisfaction at the American Medical Association. Dr. Sinsky has worked to elevate national awareness of health professional well-being as an important driver of health system performance. In 2012 she led “In Search of Joy in Practice: A Report of 23 High-Functioning Primary Care Practices”. With a colleague, she introduced the framework of the “Quadruple Aim” in 2013 as a health system goal. At the AMA, she leads the development of initiatives to improve clinician well-being, working on research, policy, technology and educational fronts to increase the opportunities for joy, purpose and meaning in work.

Colin West, MD, PhD, professor of medicine, medical education, and biostatistics, Mayo Clinic

Originally from Seattle, Dr. West received his MD and PhD in biostatistics from the University of Iowa in 1999. He completed residency and chief residency in internal medicine at Mayo Clinic, and joined the faculty in general internal medicine in 2004. Dr. West's research has focused on medical education and physician well-being, and he is co-director of the Mayo Clinic Program on physician well-being. His research has been widely published in prominent journals including Lancet, JAMA, Annals of Internal Medicine and JAMA Internal Medicine. 

Explore the AMA STEPS Forward® Innovation Academy on-demand library of webinars on physician burnout, digital health, private practice, BHI and more.

Disclaimer: The viewpoints expressed in this video are those of the participants and/or do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the AMA.