Time to Stop Burning Out: A Systematic Review of the Interventions and their Effectiveness in Treating Burnout in Surgeons

Abstract

Objective: This systematic review aimed to establish the effectiveness of different interventions to combat burnout among surgeons.

Summary background data: Burnout is prevalent among surgeons and can have profound effects on their physical and mental health. Previous literature has discussed the causes of burnout and suggested interventions, although it has been limited in establishing their effectiveness.

Methods: Medline, Embase and Cochrane databases were searched in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines from January 2000 to February 2025. Studies with primary data regarding measurable outcomes for burnout were included, while studies that did not focus on interventions, abstracts or non-English language texts were excluded. The articles were reviewed by two independent reviewers to ensure they met the inclusion criteria. Bias was assessed using the Joanna Briggs institute critical appraisal tools.

Results: 44 studies were included. Interventions were classified as organisational, including changes to working conditions and well-being initiatives, and individual, including mentorship, mindfulness and cognitive skills. Many studies identified improvements in their population's burnout scores although often statistical significance was not achieved. Multiple studies were single-centre with small sample sizes and suffered attrition from the programs provided. Studies were limited using volunteers, which could limit generalisability to the rest of the surgical workforce.

Conclusion: This study demonstrated a growing awareness of burnout in the surgical community. While some interventions show potential, the mixed results highlight the need for ongoing research. The stigma associated with burnout prevents uptake and the attrition rate described in the literature needs consideration when developing any future interventions.

Keywords: burnout; interventions; mental health; mentorship; mindfulness; occupational stress; organisational change; resilience; surgeons; systematic review; well-being initiatives.