#4-12E. Combating Burnout: The Power of Belonging and Teammate Support (JAMA Netw Open, 2026)

Are you feeling the weight of burnout and exhaustion in your daily clinical practice? This cross-sectional study analyzed survey data from over 14,000 US physicians to explore how workplace belonging and teammate support influence professional well-being and retention. The most significant finding reveals that a strong sense of belonging and the perception of teammate support are strongly associated with substantially lower odds of experiencing burnout, intending to reduce clinical hours, or leaving the organization. However, when critically appraising this research, it is crucial to note its cross-sectional design and reliance on a convenience sample, which limits the ability to establish definitive causality and may restrict generalizability across the entire physician workforce. For physician listeners and healthcare leaders, this study underscores the vital importance of actively cultivating an inclusive organizational culture. By fostering a supportive, team-based environment where colleagues genuinely have each other's backs, we can not only enhance individual physician well-being but also provide a strategic, actionable approach to mitigating costly turnover and sustaining high-quality patient care in increasingly demanding clinical settings.

Citation: Carlasare LE, Shah P, Turzi A, Nankivil N, Fogg J, Rotenstein LS. Sense of Belonging, Burnout, and Work Intentions Among US Physicians. JAMA Network Open. 2026. DOI: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2026.4171.

Disclaimer: This audio summary is based on personal interpretation and does not guarantee the exact content of the original paper. Please refer to the original article for details.