I have always thought that burnout when comparing across specialties are way overrated. When you look at the burnout data, over half of the fields are within 5% of each other. What kind of statistical relevance/standard deviation is that? Is it even significant when the top and middle groups are only 5% apart? In other words, if EM has 45 out of 100 feeling burned out and infectious disease has 40 out of 100, then does having 5 extra docs really statistically significant. Also, you have to look and ask why the docs are burned out as some are inherent to the field and some are not. In 2018, Family medicine and neurology is top 3? That alone gives my spidey sense think that this study is invalid.
I have done EM for over 17 years and I can say I felt burned out maybe for 6 months just because we were chronically understaffed and doing more hours than I wanted. EM has the benefits of working as much as you want and as little as you want. If you are stressed in EM its most likely that you are working too much. If so, work less. I have little sympathy for the EM docs that work 17 - 20 shifts a month and complain that they are stressed out. I bet most docs working 12 shifts a month do not feel that they are stressed out.
Also, EM has many more options than 10 yrs ago.
I work about 40 a week but 20 is in a freestanding ER where I see 7-10 pts in 24 hrs and getting a full night sleep. The other 20 I work in a busy ER to keep my skills. I can go more FSER if I feel burnt out. I do locums so I get to choose when I work and which hospital to work at. In 2017 with this set up, I made over between 5-600K and worked about 20 weekend shifts. I had new years, July 4th, Easter weekend, 5 dys over Thanksgiving, and 7 day over Christmas off to be with the Kids. I schedule around my kids activities and in the Summer taking 1 wk in June to travel for a wedding, 7 dys off during July 4th, 20 days off in July/Aug for a family Trip. I don't have to ask anyone for permission to take off, I don't need to block days off, I am not beholden to any hospital Admin/CMG, don't go to any Hospital meetings.
My Point is EM is not as bad as people make it. There are options out there if you feel burnt out. Don't sit in your EM job feeling stressed, dont do anything about it, and complain that you are burnt out.