The high burn-out rate is one of the most frequently cited reasons not to go into emergency medicine and a "fact" which is rarely based on fact. I would encourage you to _do your own research_ and find out the truth about any specialty rather than relying on rumor and innuendo. See the bottom of this post for a journal citation which discusses many of these issues.
As far as the shiftwork aspects of EM go, many people, including myself, find it much less stressful to know that I am scheduled to work x number of shifts and that when I'm not scheduled I can actually have a life and enjoy myself rather than being tethered to a pager.
And while I hate to be the one that points this out, any clinician is going to have to work nights and weekends at some point. The opthamology attending was standing right next to me at the slit lamp at 3am last week in the ED. And while I got to go home at sleep when my relief came in at 8am, he got home at 4am, had two hours' sleep, and got back up to go to a full day's work at 6am. I still love my job. : )
S London
Univ of Connecticut EM PGY-1
An excerpt from Reinhart MA - Ann Emerg Med - 01-Jan-1999; 33(1): 22-32:
"Unlike other segments of medicine, emergency physicians must treat all patients who present to the ED regardless of funding and the available number of emergency physicians (42 USC ?1395dd). Burnout, turnover, and the training of sufficient numbers of new emergency physicians have frequently been significant sources of concern.[13] [14] The profession is challenging, but the data reported here tend to question many of the concerns described by others. For example, Gallery et al[14] reported disproportionately high levels of stress, a 12% annual turnover, and a 27% turnover over a 5-year period. Our findings show less stress and lower predictions of turnover. On average, the emergency physicians in this study are satisfied to very satisfied with their careers, and find that work stress is not a serious problem.
The emergency physicians in this study consider the specialty to be the safety net of medicine, in a time of transition, and misunderstood by those outside the specialty. They tend to be middle-aged, family- and community-oriented, and strongly wish for more time for their families and themselves. They have many interests and enjoy wide-ranging activities including the cultural arts, movies, cooking, nature, community activities, outdoor activities, and fitness and competitive sports."
Originally posted by Ophtho_MudPhud
Such as radiology, derm, path, or ophthalmology to name a few.
I highly recommend the eye.
Seriously, the burn-out rate for EM physicians is HIGH for the reasons discussed above.