의학교육 전문부서 교원의 탈진현상

Abstract

Medical education departments or offices are established in response to public expectations relating to health care, societal trends towards increased accountability, educational developments, increased interest in what to teach and how to educate doctors. However, heavy workloads and mixed feelings towards medical education departments or offices by the other members of a medical school can threaten job satisfaction and increase burnout. The authors investigated the prevalence of burnout among medical education specialists and related issues. Individual in-depth interviews with four medical education specialists were conducted to develop a questionnaire. After content analysis of the interview, the authors generated a survey form with 28 items including 6 categories: motivation to choose medical education as a career, job satisfaction, intention to leave their current position in medical education, the frequency and causes of burnout, and demographics. In September 2013, an email survey was administered to 43 faculty including non-tenure staff who were working in the department/office of medical education in 41 medical colleges in Korea. Of 43 medical education specialists, 25 (60%) returned surveys. Forty three-point-three percent of them felt encouraged when their endeavors generated a visible educational improvement in the medical school. A majority (87%) reported feeling burned out. Fifty percent of them experienced the feeling once or twice a year. The extent of burnout tended to be greater in women, those in their forties, those with non-medical doctor degrees, and in non-tenured staff. To reduce and prevent burnout among medical education specialists, the participants suggested that leadership of medical schools and a systematic approach to medical education should be established. A majority of the medical education specialists reported experiencing burnout, although they were satisfied with their jobs. To reduce their burnout and allow them to focus on their own work in medical education, the following factors are needed: perceptual changes of other members of the college about medical education; more systematic institutional strategies; networking among medical education specialists; and personal efforts for professional development.