Impact of a Participatory Wellness Continuing Medical Education Program on Physician Burnout and Well-Being

Objective: Examine the impact of a participatory wellness continuing medical education (CME) program on physician burnout, wellness, and well-being. Methods: Physicians attending a 3-day wellness CME program. Self-reported questionnaires at baseline with paired analyses at 26-week follow-up. Results: Compared to baseline, at 26 weeks there were decreases in burnout (P < 0.001, ES -0.68), red meat consumption (P = 0.02, ES -0.29), and current stress levels (P < 0.001, ES -0.50). There were increases in fruit/vegetable consumption (P < 0.001, ES 0.55), energy levels at work (P < 0.001, ES 0.60) and at home (P < 0.001, ES 0.66), quality of life (P < 0.001, ES 0.53), and confidence (P < 0.001, ES 0.89) and frequency (P = 0.01, ES 0.32) of counseling patients on wellness. Conclusion: Attendance at this participatory wellness CME program was associated with improved physician burnout, health behaviors in diet, stress, energy, quality of life, and wellness counseling.