ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: In the presence of escalating global concerns regarding physician burnout, this study aims to analyze the prevalence and associated factors of burnout among radiologists in Germany. METHODS: A comprehensive online survey, inclusive of 73 targeted questions including a German-modified version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory, was distributed among all members of the German Radiological Society and the German Interventional Radiological Society between May and August 2023. The survey encompassed aspects of employment, workload, well-being, and coping mechanisms. Data from 172 completed surveys were analyzed, with correlations explored via crosstabs and the Pearson-chi-square test. RESULTS: In total, 76.7% of participating radiologists were identified to be burnt out. The prevalence was significantly associated with increased workload, reduced sleep quality, suboptimal working conditions, reduced job satisfaction, and the negative interplay between work, family life, and health. Median work satisfaction was described as "satisfied" while median workload was assessed as "frequently overwhelming of work." A total of 41.9% of respondents noted facing daily time pressure. Radiologists' concerns about work interfering with private family life were voiced by approximately 70%, and 73.3% highlighted the perceived negative effects on their health. CONCLUSION: The pronounced prevalence of burnout among German radiologists demonstrates an urgent, unmet need for comprehensive interventions and systemic changes. Our findings act as a catalyst for initiating targeted, multifaceted strategies and dialogs, essential for fostering a resilient and effective healthcare ecosystem. Further large-scale systematic studies should follow to analyze the findings in broad. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Consistent with other countries, there is a high prevalence of burnout among radiologists in Germany. A call for further investigation is recommended to help mitigate adverse outcomes associated with physician burnout. KEY POINTS: ⢠The prevalence of burnout has yet not been evaluated for German radiologists. ⢠German radiologists have a high prevalence of burnout. ⢠Steps must be implemented to engage this problem to prevent worsening.
ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: This study investigated general and subject-specific motivational beliefs from the perspectives of self-determination theory (i.e. intrinsic, identified, introjected, and extrinsic motivation) and achievement goal theory (i.e. mastery, performance-approach, and -avoidance goal orientation including the respective classroom goal structures), their interrelations, their stability over time, and their associations with desirable outcomes (i.e. deep-level learning strategies, self-concept of ability). It was hypothesized that motivational beliefs are interrelated but demonstrate a distinct correlational pattern depending on whether they were assessed as general or subject-specific motivation. In addition, motivational beliefs were hypothesized to relate to learning strategies and ability beliefs. METHODS: Medical students (n = 146) participated in this longitudinal study with measurement points at the beginning and end of a semester. The questionnaire included established motivational scales to assess motivational beliefs and desirable outcomes. Measurement models were tested using confirmatory factor analyses; correlations of scale means were investigated to assess the nomological network of motivational beliefs. RESULTS: As expected, intrinsic and identified motivation were associated with mastery goal orientation and with desirable outcome variables, such as the use of deep-level learning strategies. General and subject-specific motivation exhibited distinct correlational patterns. Motivation was relatively stable over time. Results did not confirm the factor structure of classroom goal structure. CONCLUSIONS: The study emphasizes the benefit of a subject-specific conceptualization of motivation and the need for a careful adaptation of theoretical constructs from the secondary school context to make them fruitful for the promotion of medical students' motivation. Medical teachers can use established motivational interventions (e.g. using an individual frame of reference for feedback) to support students' adaptive motivational beliefs (e.g. self-determined motivation, mastery goals). Given the subject specificity of motivation, it seems beneficial to promote adaptive motivation in the respective medical specialty regardless of students' general motivational characteristics.
