Depression, burnout, and professional outcomes among PAs

Objective: This study examined the effect of depression and burnout on PA professional fulfillment and medical errors. Methods: Eight hundred eighty PAs completed an online survey containing the Professional Fulfillment Index, PHQ-2, GAD-7, and demographic questions. Two serial mediation models examined the relationship between depression, burnout, and professional outcomes. Results: Burnout fully mediated the relationship between depression and outcomes in both models and the present research indicates that burnout plays a stronger role in job satisfaction than symptoms of depression. Conclusions: Understanding the underpinnings of professional satisfaction may mitigate clinician turnover, which in turn may lead to cost savings for the organization, better resilience and mental health for clinicians, and potentially better patient outcomes.