Burnout in Embryologists from the Perspective of an International Panel of Expert: A Qualitative Study

Healthcare professionals are characterized by high levels of stress and burnout, including those working in assisted reproduction, with embryologists showing the highest levels. The aim of this study is to identify both the stressors that contribute to burnout, and the potential prevention strategies. A qualitative study based on a semi-structured interview was conducted in a panel of 12 senior embryologists from eight countries in four continents. The interviews were recorded and analyzed using MAXQDA® software. Results identified three important areas (1) Stressors associated to burnout could be classified as those inherent to the embryologist profession, physical and organizational, and patient-related; (2) Preventive tools to prevent or mitigate burnout could be divided in physical, relational, organizational and psychological; finally, (3) Lack of professional recognition could be split in the following themes, general lack of recognition, lack of recognition as healthcare profession, disparity in recognition compared to clinicians and lack of social recognition. The identification of stressors, preventive strategies associated with burnout and the lack of recognition of the embryologist profession could be included in a worldwide survey to create a protocol to regulate the profession and provide tools to prevent burnout and control or lower the effect the stressors.