The Hard Lives of Organ Transplant Doctors
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iStock/Thinkstock(DETROIT) — Organ transplant surgeons usually deal in life-and-death situations. With so much riding on the outcome of their work, it’s no wonder that so many of these doctors are experiencing burnout, according to a study led by the Henry Ford Transplant Institute.
In the survey of 218 transplant surgeons, 40 percent reported feeling emotionally exhausted, which is certainly understandable given the nature of the work they do.
However, what is far more surprising is that close to half of these surgeons also admit feeling a low sense of personal accomplishment.
The researchers attribute this to several factors, including the health of patients, the often long period of recuperation and the frustration that comes when patients die while still waiting for organs.
As for organ transplant surgeons who didn’t experience burnout, their higher sense of accomplishment was related to a sense of greater control in their work lives and more cooperation among co-workers.
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