It is tempting to think that the surge in doctors experiencing burnout is due to the added strain of the COVID-19 pandemic.

But burnout is not a new problem; doctors were experiencing the physical and psychological exhaustion of burnout before SARS-CoV-2 appeared.^1,2

Doctors also entered the pandemic with significant mental health risks, especially early-career doctors.³

Data from more than 2000 junior doctors showed that working just five hours more than the average 50-hour working week doubled the risk of developing a common mental health disorder.⁴