Exploring the relationship between burnout and grit during general surgery residency: A longitudinal,single-institution analysis

BackgroundHow burnout changes during general surgery residency remains unknown.MethodsFrom 2015 to 2018, general surgery residents completed the Maslach Burnout Inventory and Grit Scale. Statistical analyses were adjusted for repeated measures and compared to the incoming intern level.ResultsFifty-five residents participated in this study. Burnout rates varied by program level, with an increased risk occuring in the third clinical year (OR = 11.7, p = 0.03). Emotional exhaustion (EE) peaked during the first and third clinical years, depersonalization (DP) peaked during the first and second clinical years, and personal achievement (PA) reached a nadir during the third clinical year (all p < 0.05). Residents with burnout had lower grit scores compared to those without burnout (3.71 vs 4.02, p < 0.01). Increasing grit was linearly associated with decreasing EE, decreasing DP, and increasing PA (all p < 0.05).ConclusionsBurnout varies throughout surgical residency, and grit is inversely related to burnout.