Burnout among oncologists ‘concerning for the future of the workforce’
Key takeaways:
- Burnout rates among oncologists in patient care roles increased between 2013 and 2023.
- Nearly one-fourth of oncologists reported they would reduce their clinical hours within the next year.
U.S.-based medical oncologists reported experiencing higher rates of burnout in 2023 vs. 2013, according to survey results.
Researchers, therefore, called for system-based interventions to decrease burnout rates and maintain an adequate oncology workforce to care for patients with cancer.
ASCO’s plan
“ASCO’s current strategic plan includes ‘profession’ as one of its 5-year goals — specifically to ‘drive healthy clinical and research work environments that lead to fulfillment for oncology professionals.’ This research directly relates to this goal by assessing the state of well-being and satisfaction among practicing oncologists,” Laura A. Levit, JD, researcher at ASCO, told Healio. “Measuring the well-being of the workforce tells us critical information related to the quality of patient care. Clinicians who are experiencing burnout are susceptible to reduced empathy and compassion for their patients. This is problematic in cancer care, where patients are experiencing a potentially life-threatening disease and face complicated treatments. Burnout also has a negative impact on the well-being of clinicians themselves. It can contribute to clinicians working fewer hours or leaving clinical practice altogether, which may ultimately lead to shortages in the workforce that cares for patients with cancer.”
The study included survey responses from 328 U.S.-based oncologists in patient care roles in 2023. The survey inquired about oncologists’ professional well-being and satisfaction, as well how these factors affect their career plans.
Researchers used measures of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization from the Maslach Burnout Inventory Human Services Survey to assess burnout, and compared findings with 2013 findings from a survey that assessed oncologist burnout and well-being.
‘Stressors’
Burnout rates among oncologists increased from 45% in 2013 to 59% in 2023 (P < .01), and feeling satisfied with work-life integration decreased from nearly 35% in 2013 to less than 25% in 2023 (P < .01).
Factors associated with burnout included being a caregiver in one’s personal life and aged younger than 50 years, as well as working more than 60 hours/week (P < .05 for all).
In addition, more than 20% of respondents said they would reduce their clinical hours within the next year, and they identified additional practice/administrative support and reductions in work hours to increase job satisfaction.
“The problem is greater among oncologists under the age of 50 than among their older counterparts, which is concerning for the future of the workforce,” Levit told Healio. “Stressors affecting well-being include staffing levels, use of electronic health records, and payer policies and interactions. These things are potential targets of interventions for improving well-being. Results also showed areas that bring oncologists joy, including their interactions with patients and colleagues. Interventions and policies that facilitate oncologists to dedicate more time on these activities may be an approach to improve well-being.”
‘Continue to monitor’
ASCO will continue to monitor the well-being of the oncology workforce, according to Levit.
“[ASCO] is advocating for changes to reduce administrative burden on the delivery of care, such as prior authorization,” she said. “Two recent papers also discuss institutional approaches that are likely to promote professional satisfaction. One paper summarizes a discussion from an ASCO Town Hall on institutional strategies to improve professional well-being and reduce burnout, and the second paper makes recommendations for academic medical centers to promote reasonable clinical workloads and provide protected time for research activities.”
References:
- Lapen K, et al. JCO Oncol Pract. 2025;doi:10.1200/OP.24.00199.
- Schenkel C, et al. JCO Oncol Adv. 2025;doi:10.1200/OA.24.00010.
- Winer EP, et al. J Clin Oncol. 2025;doi:10.1200/JCO-24-02246.
For more information:
Laura A. Levit, JD, can be reached at laura.levit@asco.org.
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