ERcast: Clinical Perspectives Podcast Preview
The summary below is from an episode of ERcast: Clinical Perspectives
Working during vacation is linked to physician burnout, and emergency medicine physicians take fewer vacation days than most specialties. The biggest signal in the JAMA Network Open survey was not just time off, but whether clinicians kept doing meaningful work while away.
Vacation, burnout, and emergency medicine
- Burnout signal on vacation: The strongest association with burnout was doing more than 30 minutes of work per vacation day, making true separation from inbox and patient tasks more important than many clinicians admit.
- Emergency medicine vacation gap: Emergency medicine stood out for taking fewer days off than other specialties, with the highest share taking 5 days or fewer and the lowest share taking more than 15 days.
- Working while away: Across specialties, 70% of physicians did some work while on vacation, showing how often time off becomes partial coverage rather than actual recovery. We get into the practical implications in the episode.
- Meaningful time-off effect: More than 15 days of vacation was associated with better outcomes, reinforcing that wellness is not just about isolated long weekends but protected time fully away from work.
- Practical off-loading strategies: Simple systems matter: clear charts before leaving, turn off work notifications, and arrange reciprocal coverage so administrative and teaching obligations do not follow you onto vacation.
Subscribe to ERcast: Clinical Perspectives to listen to the episode.
References:
- Sinsky CA, Trockel MT, Dyrbye LN, et al. Vacation Days Taken, Work During Vacation, and Burnout Among US Physicians. JAMA Netw Open. 2024;7(1):e2351635. Published 2024 Jan 2. PMID: 38214928
Faculty
- Drew Kalnow, DO
Dr. Drew Kalnow is an emergency medicine physician and educator based in Columbus, Ohio. He completed his emergency medicine training at OhioHealth Doctors Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency. Dr. Kalnow is passionate about advancing emergency medicine through high-quality education, with a particular focus on simulation, learning theory, and innovative teaching.
- Andy Little, DO
Dr. Andy Little is an emergency medicine physician and educator. He earned his medical degree from the Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine and completed his emergency medicine residency at OhioHealth Doctors Hospital Emergency Medicine Residency, where he served as Chief Resident. He has received multiple national awards, including recognition from the American Osteopathic Association, American College of Osteopathic Emergency Physicians, and Emergency Medicine Residents' Association.
- Matthew DeLaney, MD, FACEP, FAAEM
Dr. Matthew DeLaney is an emergency medicine physician and educator based in Birmingham, Alabama. A native of Mobile, he earned his medical degree from the University of South Alabama and completed his emergency medicine residency at Maine Medical Center.Dr. DeLaney has experience in both community and academic emergency medicine and is known for his commitment to teaching and medical education. He lives in Birmingham with his wife, Erin, who is also a physician, and their two daughters.
