With physician burnout reaching epidemic levels, the Augusta University/ University of Georgia Medical Partnership is proud to host a lecture with a leading professional on the topic, Dr. Lotte Dyrbye.

Dyrbye will deliver a lecture on Wednesday, February 21, at noon on the University of Georgia Health Science Campus entitled, “Physician Burnout: Why it Matters to Patients and Healthcare.” Dyrbye will discuss the prevalence, drivers, and consequences of burnout, as well as mitigating strategies in healthcare related fields. Through her research, she co-developed the Physician Well-Being Index, the Resident Well-Being Index, and the Medical Student Well-Being Index, which are self-assessment tools designed to identify healthcare workers who are in distress and in need of treatment.

Physician burnout is common in the United States, with research illustrating an estimated thirty to forty percent of physicians experience burnout at some point in their career. This can comprise their well-being, as well as affect patient care and satisfaction.

“I could not be more excited that Dr. Dyrbye has agreed to deliver a lecture on our campus,” said Campus Dean Michelle Nuss. “This is such an important topic that affects all physicians beginning when they are students, and throughout their professional careers.”   

In addition to the noon lecture, Dyrbye will be hosting breakout sessions with campus leadership, faculty, students, and residents from both Piedmont Athens Regional Internal Medicine Residency Program and the AU/UGA Medical Partnership/ St. Mary’s Healthcare System Internal Medicine Residency Program.

Lotte Dyrbye MD, MHPE, FACP is Professor of Medicine, Professor of Medical Education, and Consultant in the Division of Primary Care Internal Medicine at Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota.  She is also Associate Chair for Faculty Development, Staff Satisfaction, and Diversity for the Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Director of Faculty Development for Mayo Clinic School of Graduate Medical Education, and Co-Director of the Department of Medicine Program on Physician Well-being.  She is the Primary Investigator on Mayo Medical School’s grant “Accelerating Change in Medical Education,” awarded by the AMA.

Dyrbye is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin Medical School where she was selected AOA, and she subsequently completed an internship and residency in Internal Medicine at the University of Washington.  She also holds a Masters in Health Profession Education from University of Illinois, completed in 2009.  She holds numerous national education leadership positions, has received many national awards and competitive grants, and has published in prestigious journals.  Her research interests are focused on medical student, resident, and physician well-being.

This lecture is sponsored by a generous donation to the AU/UGA Medical Partnership by Dr. and Mrs. Lonnie Herzog.