Doctors still experiencing high rates of burnout, CMA survey finds

New Canadian Medical Association data shows physician burnout is improving but remains high at 46%. Officials blame heavy workloads and administrative burdens.

The Canadian Medical Association reports that burnout rates among doctors have improved since the COVID-19 pandemic, but remain at historically high levels.

Data from its 2025 National Physician Health Survey found that 46 per cent of physicians reported high levels of burnout. That’s down from 53 per cent in 2021, but still significantly above 2017 levels of 30 per cent.

“We know that there’s a shortage in access to care, so that means (those of us) remaining in the system have an inordinate amount of work and patients to manage,” said Dr. Bolu Ogunyemi, president-elect of the CMA.

The data also found that 59 per cent of respondents said AI helped them spend less time on administrative tasks.

Ogunyemi said the ultimate solution to reducing burnout is adding more resources.

“I think there are many ways to address this — one would just be a very solid recruitment and retention effort in terms of having more physicians in the system,” he said.

“But it goes beyond that. It’s about doctors really being able to help lead and shape the health-care system that we work in. You know, we’re the ones on the front lines.”

NOSM University president Dr. Michael Green said working conditions play a big role in the problem.

“The sorts of microaggressions and real aggressions and abuse that some physicians are suffering in emergency rooms and other … also affects other health professionals,” Green said.

“I think also the moral distress of not being able to help as quickly as you want, dealing with things like long wait times for specialists or emergency rooms being overcrowded — and feeling frustrated with not being able to deliver care at the level that you’d like.”

The survey included 3,300 practising physicians and medical residents who answered questions between March and April this year.

On the positive side, 65 per cent of physicians said they accessed at least one wellness support, up from 54 per cent in 2021.

Green said that type of support can make a major difference.

Wellness retreat

“I am past president of the College of Family Physicians and we held our own physician wellness retreat a couple of years ago,” he said.

“Really it wasn’t about yoga and meditation — it was about those things in your work life that help build a better balance in dealing with your paperwork and getting out of your office on time — having less frustrations that I think will really help most physicians to have the wellness that they need.”

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