Burn out Phenomenon in Medical Profession: A Cross Sectional Study of Doctors W orking in Services Hospital Lahor e

To find out the burning out phenomenon in doctors from various specialties and to observe its association with different demographic variables. This was a hospital based, descriptive, cross sectional study. Place and duration: The study was conducted in the Department of Psychiatry, Services Hospital, Lahore from March 2005 to April 2005. One hundred and six doctors from different medical and surgical specialties who consented were given performa including questions regarding demographic details, different probable variables likely to contribute in stress of this profession. A structured instrument assessed burn out phenomenon. Out of 106, eleven (10.5%) doctors were candidates for burning out and 2(1.9%) were burnt out cases. Doctors, who are earning less, work for long hours, don't have their own conveyance and have to do private practice along with their regular jobs in the evening are more likely to burn out. In addition those doctors who work in the field of surgery are also vulnerable for this phenomenon. Avoidance of precipitating factors and adopting protective factors for burning out is advised to improve the quality care of the patients in our country. In addition, relevant health policies need to be devised for the purpose of avoiding burn out phenomenon in doctors. Stress, burn out, and stress of medical profession