Junior doctors stressed but enjoy job

The majority of junior doctors in Australia and New Zealand show signs of fatigue and burnout but still enjoy their job, according to two surveys published in the MJA. More than 900 doctors representing all specialties and ranging from second year postgraduates to those completing their training answered a 96 question survey that assessed their general health and wellbeing. While 77% of respondents enjoyed working as a doctor and 73% were looking forward to working that year, results showed that 7 out of 10 met criteria for burnout and low job satisfaction. Overall, 71% had concerns about their health while nearly two thirds had concerns about the health of a colleague. Fifty-four per cent reported that their workload had been excessive, 53% believed that an adverse event could occur as a result of their high workload, and 41% said their workload compromised patient safety. Furthermore, 38% said that medical school had not adequately prepared them for a career in medicine while 17% would not choose to study medicine if they had their time over. The AMA Council of Doctors in Training, who conducted the survey, said it was important for doctors to take responsibility for their own physical and psychological health. A separate study of 276 doctors who had completed internships found that 65%...