Long Hours and Burnout: New Medscape Research Uncovers Why UK Doctors Can't Maintain Friendships
Research conducted by Medscape UK has found that nearly two-thirds (61%) of doctors in the UK struggle to maintain friendships due to work pressures, reporting that work ?always or sometimes' gets in the way. Not having enough time was the top reason, cited by 7 out of 10 doctors (68%), for not being able to maintain strong friendships.
The survey of 1,027 hospital doctors and general practitioners investigated what gets in the way of them making and maintaining friendships. Around half of doctors (45%) said that apart from a spouse or romantic partner, they would not consider themselves to have a best friend. Nearly twice as many younger doctors (under 45) reported lack of energy as a barrier to maintaining friendships (38%) compared with those over 45 (21%).
"This research has uncovered another dimension to the consequences of the pressure doctors face every day ? a detrimental impact on their ability to form and maintain friendships. Just one doctor in ten we surveyed had no challenges maintaining friendships," said Vanessa Sibbald, Managing Editor at Medscape UK. "Strong friendships are incredibly important in maintaining mental health and managing stress. These results highlight the broad reaching impact the medical profession has on those who have dedicated their career to medicine."
As well as maintaining existing friendships, new ones are hard to come by for doctors. Nearly half (43%) of those surveyed, reported it being difficult or very difficult to make new friends ? twice as many as those who found it easy (20%).
Burnout
A quarter of all doctors (26%) reported that they lack the energy needed to maintain friendships, disproportionally felt by doctors under 45 (38% vs. 21%). One of the doctors surveyed said, "the pressure of my profession and the maintenance of relationships are often tied together which makes it difficult to begin and maintain friendships."
Medscape UK research from July 2022 found that half of junior doctors (45%) intend to pursue a non-clinical career, with burnout from work being the number one reason cited for all doctors considering leaving the profession (37%).
The gender friendship divide
Out of the 61% who said that work gets in the way of friendships, female doctors feel this more often than male doctors (68% vs 54%). One doctor said, "I'm working overtime every weekend and barely keeping on top of managing the home, husband, and dogs. I don't have time or energy for anything or anyone else."
From the 7 out of 10 of doctors (68%) who said lack of time was the top challenge in maintaining close friends, this was again higher for female than for male doctors (72% vs 64%). Another doctor added that, "I often have to log on and work from home on my days off. Missing opportunities to meet with friends."
For more findings, view the full report on Medscape: https://www.medscape.com/uk-doctors-friendships-report-2023
About Medscape UK Physicians & Friendships Report 2023
Medscape UK conducted a report based on a survey of 1,027 practising UK Medscape member physicians or residents. The demographics of the respondents can be broken down as follows:
- Female: 50%
- Male: 46%
- Prefer not to self-describe: 3%
The survey was fielded between September and December 2022.
About Medscape
Medscape is the leading source of clinical news, health information, and point-of-care tools for healthcare professionals. Medscape offers specialists, primary care doctors, and other health professionals the most robust and integrated medical information and educational tools. Medscape Education (medscape.org) is the leading destination for continuous professional development, consisting of more than 30 specialty-focused destinations offering thousands of free C.M.E. and C.E. courses and other educational programs for doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.
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