To investigate the current status, influencing factors, and potential interventions for job burnout among neurology residents.

A questionnaire survey on the job burnout status was conducted using the Chinese version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey (MBI-GS) among neurology residents trained at Peking University Third Hospital and Peking University Sixth Hospital from February 2024 to January 2025. The cutoff scores for emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment were >12, >7, and >18, respectively. Burnout severity was categorized as follows: 0 dimensions (no burnout), 1 dimension (mild), 2 dimensions (moderate), and 3 dimensions (severe). Differences between severe and non-severe burnout groups in age, gender, training status, duration, job position, leisure time availability, marital status, working hours, income satisfaction, and sleep duration were analyzed using t-tests, non-parametric tests, Chi-square tests, or Fisher's exact tests.

Among the 26 participants, 4 (15.4%) had no burnout, 22 (84.6%) had varying degrees of burnout, and 10 (38.5%) had severe burnout. A significant difference was observed in leisure time availability between the severe burnout group (10.0%) and non-severe group (56.3%, χ²=5.562, P=0.037). Seventeen suggestions for reducing burnout were collected: increased training (35.3%, 6/17), psychological counseling (23.5%, 4/17), team-building activities (17.6%, 3/17), simplified workflows (11.8%, 2/17), salary increases (5.9%, 1/17), and additional staffing (5.9%, 1/17).

Job burnout is prevalent among neurology residents, with a high proportion of severe cases. Interventions such as enhanced training, psychological support, team-building, workflow optimization, salary adjustments, and increased staffing may mitigate burnout.