When it comes to physician well-being, most residents and fellows seeking their first job after training know how important work-life balance, compensation and well-being resources can be. But in the physician job interview process, there are other, less obvious factors that may influence your long-term satisfaction in a role that should also come up in discussions with potential healthcare employers.
The first few years of practice can be a particularly vulnerable period for a physician’s well-being, said Heather Farley, MD, MHCDS, the AMA’s group vice president of professional satisfaction and practice sustainability, and residents and fellows should be aware during their job searches of the unique challenges of early career.
“A steep increase in responsibilities is also often paired with a decrease in the structural support that physicians had in residency,” she said. “They may have had more mentorship, peer camaraderie and protected learning time.”
Recent AMA survey data highlights aspects of the physician work environment that can be easy to overlook during a job search—but that may matter to physicians’ satisfaction once they are in practice.
And if you’re searching for your first physician job after residency, get your cheat sheet from the AMA now.
AMA data offers well-being insights
Based on survey responses from more than 3,000 resident and fellow physicians across 20 states and 29 organizations, the AMA National Resident Comparison Report is exclusive data to the AMA and the Organizational Biopsy.
The report reflects 2025 trends on five key performance indicators—job satisfaction, job stress, burnout, intent to leave and feeling valued—as well as additional analysis of drivers and key findings. Download the national resident companion report (email required to access) for a selection of data from the complete National Comparison Report.
The Organizational Biopsy ® offers health systems valuable insights into the well-being of the physicians in their organizations, and the AMA report allows them to compare their trends with national results.
Among the factors the survey examined for their effect on resident physician job satisfaction were:
- Peer support.
- Relationships with clinical staff.
- Work interruptions.
- Department recognition.
A large majority of respondents in residency or fellowship training—61.5%—reported that peer support had improved their satisfaction “a lot” during the previous month, 25.2% said “a moderate amount,” 8.5% said it had improved it “somewhat,” 3.5% said “a little” and 1.3% said “not at all.”
Of the respondents, the following percentages said that positive relationships with clinical support staff had improved their satisfaction with the training program:
- 48.8%—A lot.
- 29.3%—A moderate amount.
- 14.3%—Somewhat.
- 5.7%—A little.
- 1.9%—Not at all.
Work interruptions showed a different pattern. Residents and fellows reported that interruptions diminished their satisfaction:
- 23.7% said “not at all.”
- 29.7% said “a little.”
- 27.3% said “somewhat.”
- 13.4% said “a moderate amount.”
- 5.9% said “a lot.”
And departmental recognition was named a major driver of satisfaction by 28.8% of respondents, who said it had helped “a lot.” Of the respondents, 27.6% said it had helped “a moderate amount,” 22.4% said “somewhat,” 10.3% said “a little” and 11% said “not at all.”
For physicians evaluating a prospective employer, those findings point to questions that may not be on the standard interview checklist: How are new physicians connected with colleagues and mentors? How well do physicians and clinical staff work together? What has the organization done to reduce unnecessary interruptions and friction in daily work? And how do leaders recognize physicians’ contributions?
According to the AMA data, reported burnout among resident physicians dropped by 8 percentage points from the 2023 findings, to 34.5% in 2024. The 2024 reported burnout for practicing physicians came in at 43.2% in comparison. It is important to note that there is continued variation in reported burnout by resident gender, program year and specialty.
As the leader in physician well-being, the AMA provides organizational solutions that help physicians and health systems optimize practice efficiency, reduce burnout, and rediscover the Joy in Medicine®.
Finding the right fit
Finding the right fit can take time, and physicians’ priorities will vary. Some, however, already know what they are looking for in an employer.
Laura Halpin, MD, is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with Kaiser Permanente. Southern California Permanente Medical Group is part of the AMA Health System Member Program, which provides enterprise solutions to equip leadership, physicians and care teams with resources to help drive the future of medicine.
Having successfully transitioned from training to practice in 2021, Dr. Halpin knew she wanted to stay in the city where she had completed her fellowship, reaching out to a recruiter at Kaiser Permanente before they had a position open in her specialty. Read more about how she networked at a location where she knew she wanted to end up.
A place to put down roots
For early-career physicians who find the right fit, opportunities to grow within the organization can also matter, said Brooke M. Buckley, MD, vice president of medical affairs for Detroit’s Henry Ford Health, which also is part of the AMA Health System Member Program.
“Henry Ford Health is an organization that very much celebrates and grows their own,” said Dr. Buckley, who is also an alternate delegate for the AMA House of Delegates. “We have a culture that prioritizes building a strong foundation and growing with us, rather than looking for someone from the outside to help us grow.”
Uncovering a commitment to well-being
Both the Southern California Permanente Medical Group and Henry Ford Health were recognized by the AMA Joy in Medicine Health System Recognition Program, which empowers health systems to reduce burnout and build well-being so that physicians and their patients can thrive.
Through their ongoing efforts to reduce physician burnout and enhance well-being, 109 hospitals, health systems and medical groups were honored last year by the Joy in Medicine Program. These organizations join a strong cohort of organizations from the previous year, bringing the currently recognized total to 164 organizations, which represents 449,058 physicians. Each health system is recognized for a two-year period. The 2026-2027 Joy in Medicine Program honorees will be announced this fall.
The recognition represents the outstanding efforts these organizations have initiated to address the systemic causes of physician burnout in six domains: assessment, commitment, efficiency of practice environment, teamwork, leadership and support.
Residents and fellows can use Joy in Medicine recognition as one signal that a potential employer has made a demonstrated commitment to physician well-being and system-level improvement.
“Joy in Medicine recognition is not a stamp of perfection,” Dr. Farley noted. “It doesn't mean that recognized organizations have all of the issues resolved, or that every physician there is happy. But it does mean the organization is investing in system-level change, making progress and committing to transparency, measurement and improvement.”
Learn more about evaluating practice environments to match your priorities with the AMA STEPS Forward® toolkit, “What to Look for in Your First or Next Practice.” It is enduring material and designated by the AMA for a maximum of 0.5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™. Read up on AMA CME accreditation.
