LAUSR

DEAR EDITOR, Burnout is a syndrome comprised of emotional exhaustion (EE), depersonalization (DP) and reduced personal accomplishment (PA). It is associated with poor outcomes involving job performance and health. Previous studies have reported burnout rates ranging from 18% to 84% during postgraduate medical education (i.e. residency); however, none has focused on dermatology residents (i.e. registrars and trainees). Herein, we report the prevalence, predictors and consequences of burnout in Canadian dermatology residents. Ethics approval was obtained from the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an anonymous online survey distributed to all Canadian dermatology residents (n = 162). The data collection period was from May to August 2014. Informed consent was obtained online. Weekly activities, stress, protective factors and consequences of burnout were evaluated using a Likert scale. Validated tools were employed to measure burnout [Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI)]; depression (World Health Organization Well-Being Index); anxiety (Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale); alcohol abuse (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test – Consumption); fatigue and quality of life. Standard statistical analyses were utilized to characterize the association between burnout and various levels of training. Using a t-test or ANOVA, burnout ratings were compared between multiple groups. To limit the number of tests, the ANOVA was performed only for the EE scale of the MBI as it possessed the best reliability coefficient (0 90). P-values were calculated using two tails. Significance levels were adjusted with the Benjamini–Hochberg procedure. There were 116 respondents to the survey (72%). Individuals who did not complete the entire MBI (n = 20) were excluded. Therefore a total of 96 residents were analysed yielding a 59% response rate. Responses were received from each of the dermatology programmes across the country and from all stages of training. The top stressor for residents was examinations (including the board certifying examination) (61%), followed by work (27%). Other major stressors included family and relationships, finances, pressure from staff, research obligations and moving. Assessment of weekly activities revealed that all residents dedicated a significant amount of time to studying and working (92–100%). A smaller proportion allocated time for family and friends (70%) or exercise (56%). Moreover, 72% slept < 7 h per night. The MBI survey demonstrated that > 50% of dermatology residents experienced high levels of EE and DP, while 40% had low levels of PA (Table 1). The mean burnout scores were 27 3 (EE), 10 8 (DP) and 35 6 (PA). Approximately 75% of residents agreed or strongly agreed that they had good social supports. However, 58% reported having a good