‘The system is broken’: New CMAJ survey finds 10% of emergency physicians left the profession

Canada’s emergency physicians are not okay, with burnout pushing more and more of them to reduce their work hours or even leave the specialty.These are the findings of a new longitudinal study on wellness in emergency medicine, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) on Monday. Researchers surveyed more than 410 emergency physicians in April 2020 and conducted three follow-up surveys in November 2020, September 2022 and January 2025.By the time of the final follow-up survey, 48% reported reducing their clinical hours in emergency medicine and 20% said they had to take time off. On top of that, 10% even reported they had left the specialty entirely.Throughout the surveys, the rates at which participants remain consistent at around 17%. However, women and younger physicians were more likely to report burnout, the authors found.“Burnout levels remain high and should no longer be considered a pandemic phenomenon,” the authors wrote.In the final survey, respondents were also given the opportunity to write in their thoughts in an optional free-text question. “The prevailing theme was that the healthcare system is broken,” the authors wrote. “We found repeated references to the emergency department making up for system inadequacies, with fewer resources and little support, and the expectation that the situation will worsen.”“For many, the future of emergency medicine was hopeless, with no possibility of recovery.”The authors say these findings underscore the importance of addressing the lack of capacity at hospitals and long-term care with adequate funding and a clear action plan. They’re also calling for greater funding for geriatric emergency care, improved administrative support, scheduling that better matches sleep cycles and the normalization of taking time off. “Physician burnout is a patient safety risk, is associated with low-quality care, and runs against the Quintuple Aim of a sustainable healthcare system. Emergency physician loss is a crisis for the Canadian healthcare system and our results suggest attrition to the emergency workforce, which in turn exacerbates burnout among those who stay.”

‘The system is broken’: New CMAJ survey finds 10% of emergency physicians left the profession

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