Distinct Burnout Profiles in Physicians: Relationships with Occupational Satisfaction, Professional Identification, and Intellectual Humility

Physician burnout represents a major occupational health concern associated with impaired wellbeing, reduced job satisfaction, and decreased quality of patient care. Although burnout is frequently examined using variable-centered approaches, less is known about distinct burnout profiles among physicians and their associations with professional identification and intellectual humility. The present study investigated relationships between burnout, job satisfaction, professional social identification, and intellectual humility among physicians using both variable-centered and person-centered approaches. A sample of 100 physicians completed measures assessing burnout dimensions, job satisfaction, professional identification, and intellectual humility. Cluster analysis identified four distinct burnout profiles characterized by different combinations of exhaustion, distancing, cognitive dysfunction, and emotional dysfunction. Significant differences between profiles emerged regarding job satisfaction and professional identification, with higher burnout generally associated with lower occupational wellbeing and weaker professional identification. Correlational analyses also indicated negative associations between burnout, job satisfaction, and professional identification. Although global intellectual humility was not significantly associated with burnout severity, exploratory analyses revealed that openness to correction and engagement in debate were negatively associated with cognitive and emotional dysfunction. These findings support the heterogeneous nature of physician burnout and suggest that professional identification and humility-related cognitive openness represent relevant psychological resources in demanding healthcare environments.