Physician Burnout: How to Improve Physician Retention

One in four physicians wants to leave their role within the next 12 months, and burnout is the number one reason why. While occasions like National Doctors' Day and National Physicians Week remind us to celebrate physicians and the impact their work has on patients and their loved ones, the recognition rings hollow if organizations aren't addressing what's pushing doctors out the door.

Evidence shows that this population is both distinctive and critical to healthcare organizations' success, and requires specific attention to understand their experience and needs. Physicians face a distinct set of workplace pressures, and understanding their specific experience requires targeted listening and focused action.

Perceptyx surveyed more than 730 physicians about their current experiences in the workplace . We found that 1 in 4 physicians wanted to leave their roles in the next 12 months and 1 in 10 wanted to leave the industry altogether. When asked why they were considering leaving, physicians cited many reasons, from staffing shortages to long hours, but the number one reason was burnout (more than 20%).

Other research supports this trend. The American Medical Association has reported that over 50% of physicians experience burnout. A Stanford Medicine-led longitudinal study tracking physician burnout confirms that while rates have fluctuated, they remain stubbornly high compared to other American workers.

Physician burnout is not only important to the well-being of physicians, but can also affect patient care including access to adequate care, patient safety, and quality. Research indicates that burnout is believed to accumulate an annual cost of $4.6 billion to the healthcare system , primarily due to turnover and reduced work hours among primary care physicians, placing the heaviest burden on resources.These losses become even more pressing as the U.S. healthcare system faces projected physician shortages in the years ahead, making every retained physician critical to sustaining care access.

How can healthcare organizations reduce physician burnout?

Job burnout is the result of too much work-related stress over time. In physicians, it typically presents as emotional exhaustion, a feeling that work is no longer meaningful, reduced sense of effectiveness, and a tendency to depersonalize patients and colleagues. There are many risk factors that contribute to burnout in the healthcare industry. Our research found that addressing burnout for physicians and advanced care providers lies in resources and support. Growing administrative burden, including extensive documentation requirements, also contributes to the problem by pulling physicians away from patient-focused work. Physicians want an avenue to voice concerns to leadership and a supportive network to lean on when times are exceedingly stressful. When physicians have adequate resources and support (i.e., when leadership listens to their concerns, values their input, and instills confidence in senior leadership), they are less likely to experience burnout and more likely to want to stay in their jobs.

It takes time for job-related stress to build up to full-fledged burnout, but there are protective factors that may help interrupt the vicious cycle. Everyone throughout an organization can help address burnout. Here are some ways everyone can help prevent burnout in healthcare organizations:

Frequently Asked Questions

What is physician burnout?

Physician burnout is a work-related condition marked by three core symptoms: emotional exhaustion, depersonalization (feeling detached from patients and colleagues), and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment. It develops when job-related stress builds over time without adequate recovery or support. Unlike temporary fatigue, burnout affects how physicians function at work and how they relate to the people they care for.

What are the signs of physician burnout?

Common signs include chronic exhaustion that doesn't improve with rest, growing cynicism or emotional distance from patients, a feeling that the work no longer has meaning, and declining job performance. Physical symptoms such as headaches, trouble sleeping, and irritability are also common. Physicians experiencing burnout may make more errors, withdraw from colleagues, or begin thinking about leaving their role or the field entirely. In a Perceptyx survey of more than 730 physicians, burnout was the number one reason physicians cited for considering leaving their jobs.

Do doctors have a high burnout rate?

Yes. Physician burnout rates are significantly higher than those seen in the broader U.S. workforce. Research from Stanford Medicine found that physicians report burnout symptoms at rates well above general workforce levels. The American Medical Association has reported that over 50% of physicians experience burnout in some studies. Beyond the personal toll on physicians, burnout increases turnover risk, reduces work hours, and is linked to lower patient safety and care quality.

What can individual physicians do to prevent burnout?

Start by learning the early warning signs: persistent exhaustion, growing cynicism about your work, or feeling like your efforts don't matter. When you notice those signals, act early. Set firm boundaries around work hours when possible, protect time for rest and relationships outside of work, and use any mental health or peer support resources your organization offers. Waiting until you feel fully depleted makes recovery harder.

What can healthcare teams do to reduce burnout together?

Teams can reduce burnout by sharing workloads fairly, checking in on colleagues who seem withdrawn or overwhelmed, and normalizing conversations about stress. Small habits matter: covering for a colleague during a high-pressure stretch, debriefing after a difficult case, or simply acknowledging hard work. When team members feel seen and supported, they are more likely to stay engaged and less likely to disengage over time.

What can healthcare organizations do to prevent physician burnout?

Organizations have the most leverage to drive lasting change. Specific actions include reducing unnecessary administrative work, improving staffing levels to address workload pressure, and creating clear channels for physicians to raise concerns with leadership.When physicians feel that senior leaders listen to their input and act on it, burnout risk drops. Regular employee listening programs — including surveys designed specifically for physician populations — help organizations spot problems early and track whether interventions are working.

Protecting physicians and all advanced caregivers against burnout directly affects retention, patient care quality, and an organization's ability to meet growing demand for healthcare services. Perceptyx has deep expertise in helping healthcare organizations apply employee listening and people analytics to monitor workplace factors like well-being and burnout, develop the right responsive actions, and deliver measurable improvements in physician experience and retention. This includes a unique Physician Experience survey including items addressing leadership and management, organizational culture, staff effectiveness, patient care, and more.