According to 2024 data from the American Medical Association, the percentage of physicians reporting feelings of burnout has dropped below 50% for the first time since the pandemic. While the numbers are trending in the right direction, burnout and moral injury remain concerns among clinicians and administrators alike. When burned-out physicians opt to leave their jobs, it can cost their employers millions in lost revenue and recruitment expenses. The cost to patients can be even more significant, as studies indicate physicians suffering from burnout are likelier to make mistakes. For these reasons, healthcare leaders are well aware of the urgency involved in addressing physician burnout.
As Regional Vice President of Recruitment, I see firsthand how healthcare organizations are addressing physician burnout and working to improve retention. So, I believe they will be interested in new research from Jackson Physician Search and LocumTenens.com that suggests clinicians with a strong sense of medicine as their “calling” are more likely to stay with their employers. The report, “Is Medicine Still a Calling? Exploring Physician Attitudes About Purpose in Medicine,” concludes that clinicians with a strong sense of purpose are likely to handle the challenges of the field — from burnout to systemic issues — with greater resiliency than those who feel less passion and purpose. They are also more likely to feel engaged and satisfied in their jobs, leading many to wonder, could a strong sense of purpose be the antidote to burnout? And if so, how can healthcare organizations help clinicians reconnect with their calling?
Is Purpose the Antidote to Physician Burnout?
In the joint survey, which garnered responses from approximately 1,200 physicians and advanced practice providers, approximately nine in ten respondents said they definitely (61%) or probably (28%) felt called to medicine. More than half of respondents indicated high or fairly high levels of engagement at work, respectively described as “very happy at work; love what I do; feel a sense of joy” and “aspects of day-to-day I don’t enjoy, but overall I get to do a job I like.” By framing the questions this way, respondents were asked to think about what burnout and engagement look like rather than simply rating their burnout/engagement levels on an arbitrary scale. In doing so, the survey found that 77% of respondents felt the positive outweighs the negative.
Across all respondents, approximately one-third (30%) said they plan to leave their current employers in the next one to three years; however, clinicians who see medicine as a calling are more likely to say they plan to stay with their current employers. They are also more likely to report higher levels of engagement with their jobs.
These findings align with an analysis of a 2021 ACHE study, which noted that lower professional fulfillment scores correlated with higher levels of burnout. The analysis concluded physician executives and healthcare leaders who feel their work is meaningful are less likely to experience burnout. These findings suggest that one of the most important things healthcare leaders can do for their clinicians (and themselves) is help them find ways to stay connected to their broader purpose and focus on how their work contributes to their communities.
How to Help Clinicians Reignite Their Purpose
The data clearly shows that a strong sense of purpose allows clinicians to feel happier in their jobs. But what if that sense of purpose just isn’t there? Whether that purpose was never there at all or has simply dwindled, is there hope for the future of healthcare if clinicians begin to feel like their efforts are pointless?
The research suggests yes. There are actionable steps clinicians can take to rediscover or reignite their purpose, and effective healthcare leaders can help them through this process. It starts with identifying those aspects of the job that still bring fulfillment — the moments that reinforce why they went into medicine — and ensuring ample time in the day for those activities. For 52% of clinicians in the survey, those moments happen when problem-solving and making clinical decisions. Nearly half of respondents (49%) said patient interactions are among the most fulfilling aspects of the job, and the rewards, both financial (32%) and expressions of patient gratitude (30%), also hold meaning.
The Importance of Relationships in Addressing Physician Burnout
When respondents were asked, “What keeps you going in challenging moments?” the most common response was “Connecting with patients” (46%), followed closely by “Time with family and friends” (45%) and “Self-care activities” (42%). This data signals to leaders that clinicians need adequate time to build relationships with patients and time away to nurture personal relationships. What does this look like in practice? Well, when asked, “What could strengthen your ability to live out your life’s purpose?” the most common answers were “reduced administrative burdens” and “improved work-life balance.”
Leaders can help physicians and APPs fulfill their purpose by ensuring adequate time with patients and the autonomy to make decisions. However, they must also consider work-life balance and find creative ways to improve in this area. Flexible schedules are attractive — four-day work weeks or block schedules with one week on and one week off. Reducing administrative burdens is also imperative. Creative employers are leveraging AI scribe technology for electronic medical records during patient encounters and providing other administrative support, such as in-basket task management in EMRs.
Address Physician Burnout by Nurturing Purpose
Those who say medicine was definitely a calling are more likely to feel satisfied with their jobs, say they would pursue medicine again, and stay with their current employers. These findings give healthcare leaders reason to feel hopeful and may spark new ideas about addressing physician burnout. If leaders can provide an environment where physicians and advanced practice providers can focus on the activities that fuel a sense of purpose, they will almost certainly see job satisfaction increase and retention rates improve.
If you are seeking a physician or advanced practice provider to live out their purpose with your organization, the recruitment team at Jackson Physician Search has the tools and expertise to help you find a provider who will fit, succeed, and stay. Reach out today to learn more.
About Tonya Hamlin
