Around 29% of cardiologists are burned out in contemporary practice, according to Medscape’s Cardiologist Lifestyle, Happiness & Burnout Report 2020—but the majority haven’t sought professional help for burnout and don’t plan to.

Around 28% of cardiologists reported being happy at work in this year’s report, which puts them above the unhappiest specialists (neurologists, 18%) but several notches below the happiest ones (dermatologists, 41%). Overall, Medscape estimates that 41% of physicians are burned out, so cardiologists fall a little below that average.

While slightly less than one-third of cardiologists said they were burned out, another 2% reported being depressed and 15% reported being both burned out and depressed. Cardiologists were in agreement that an excess of bureaucratic tasks, including charting and paperwork, contributed most to their burnout (64%), followed by long work hours (39%), increasing computerization of practice and EHRs (33%), and a lack of autonomy (31%). Twenty-nine percent said they didn’t feel they were being paid enough.

The majority of cardiologists seem to cope with burnout well, opting to either exercise (45%), talk with close friends or family members about their difficulties (43%) and play or listen to music (26%). But others turn to more detrimental habits, including isolation (42%), junk food (29%), alcohol (23%), binge-eating (17%) and prescription drugs (1%).