JAMA Netw Open

Smartwatches may help curb physician burnout, boost resilience

August 21, 2025

Wearing a smartwatch and engaging with its physiological data may be a practical, individual-level strategy to reduce burnout and enhance resilience among physicians, complementing broader systemic interventions.

Study details: This multicenter, randomized trial enrolled 184 physicians from Mayo Clinic and University of Colorado School of Medicine to assess whether 6 months of wearing a smartwatch with access to physiological data (sleep, step count, heart rate) improves physician well-being. Participants were randomized to immediate smartwatch intervention or delayed intervention (control), with outcomes measured at baseline and 3, 6, 9, and 12 months using validated scales for burnout, resilience, quality of life, depressive symptoms, stress, and sleepiness.

Results: At 6 months, burnout prevalence was significantly lower in the intervention arm (adjusted odds ratio, 0.46; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.21-0.99; P = 0.046), and mean resilience scores were higher (parameter estimate, +1.20 points; 95% CI, 0.11-2.28; P = 0.03) compared with controls. No significant differences were observed in quality of life, depressive symptoms, stress, or sleepiness. The intervention effect was specific to burnout and resilience.

Source:

Dyrbye LN, et al. (2025, August 1). JAMA Netw Open. Smartwatch Use and Physician Well-Being: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40824640/