Continuing medical education and primary physicians' job stress, burnout and dissatisfaction

Objectives The association between opportunities for continuing medical edu cation (CME) and primary physicians' job stress, burnout and job dissatisfa ction has not been investigated. It was hypothesized that participation in CME activities and perceived opportunities at work for keeping up-to-date w ith medical and professional developments would be correlated negatively wi th job stress and burnout, and positively with job satisfaction. Method 309 primary care physicians (183 family physicians and 126 paediatri cians) employed in health maintenance organizations in Israel responded to a mailed questionnaire. The independent variables were the extent of engage ment in CME activities and perceived opportunities at work for professional updating. The dependent variables were job stress, burnout and job satisfa ction. Multiple regression analyses were employed. Results After controlling for age, sex and professional status, participati on in CME activities was associated negatively with job stress and positive ly with job satisfaction, among family physicians. Among paediatricians, CM E was associated negatively with burnout. Perceived opportunities for profe ssional updating were associated negatively with burnout and (marginally) w ith stress among family physicians, and negatively with stress and positive ly with satisfaction among paediatricians. A third of the paediatricians an d a quarter of the family physicians wanted to increase their involvement i n CME. Discussion In this cross-sectional study, causality cannot be established a nd the CME measures should be refined. However, the results are consistent with the study's hypotheses and suggest that opportunities for CME and prof essional updating may reduce physicians' job distress and dissatisfaction.