Outrunning Burnout in a GI Fellowship Program During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Many GI training programs have needed to adjust to the serious disruption to the training and education of fellows worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic. A silent problem that has arisen within programs is the issue of burnout among their trainees. Burnout is common among gastroenterologists, especially in fellows (Keswani et al. in Gastroenterology 147(1):11-14, 2014. 10.1053/j.gastro.2014.05.023, Am J Gastroenterol 106(10):1734-1740, 2011. 10.1038/ajg.2011.148), with negative consequences to patient care and the safety of the trainees if not effectively dealt with. In this article, the author describes several additional factors potentially contributing to the intensifying burnout of the fellows in their home institution during this pandemic. Moreover, he describes specific practical interventions that the hospital and program have taken in order to address these factors.