Moral Injury Tied to Emergency Physician Attrition - Takeaways - MDSpire

Moral Injury Tied to Emergency Physician Attrition

Interviews with 46 emergency physicians pointed to resource constraints, moral injury, and rigid career structures as contributors to attrition.

  • By

  • Andrea Surnit

  • June 19, 2026

  • 8 min

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  • 1

    Emergency physician attrition exceeds 5% annually, peaking at 9% in 2020, significantly higher than other specialties.

  • 2

    The study identified moral injury as a key factor in physician attrition, stemming from conflicts between professional duty and resource constraints.

  • 3

    Participants reported inadequate staffing and institutional pressures prioritizing efficiency over patient safety as major sources of distress.

  • 4

    Women emergency physicians face unique challenges, including caregiving conflicts and gender inequities, leading to earlier exits from the field.

  • 5

    Potential retention strategies include improved staffing, flexible scheduling, mental health support, and increased representation of women in leadership.

Original Source(s)

Moral Injury Tied to Emergency Physician Attrition

  • by Andrea Surnit

  • June 19, 2026

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