Carol Penn, DO, MA, DABOM, FACOFP, is regarded for her commitment to whole person health – encompassing body, mind and heart to heal and prevent health challenges. Attendees at her Convention sessions are treated to a blend of deep expertise, paired with insights into self-care and moments of Zen.
Dr. Penn’s 2025 convention presentation was no different: The Science of Excellence and Mind Body Skills to Prevent Burnout and Promote Health and Well Being for Medical Professionals (now available on demand)
Family medicine physicians report some of the highest incidents of burnout due to contributing factors like high patient volume, administrative burdens, loss of autonomy, compassion fatigue and more.
Physicians like Dr. Penn and organizations like ACOFP provide dedicated resources to promote wellness and advocate for greater family physician support.
The AMA recommends capping daily patient visits at 20 per day to maintain quality of care, while some family physicians see up to 40 patients a day.
Osteopathic Principles in Physician Wellness
Osteopathy's core principle that the body is a self-regulating, self-healing unit is important in both patient care and physician wellness. This means taking a proactive approach that considers the whole person, not just symptoms of burnout.
Dr. Penn spoke of the interconnectedness of function and form with tailored examples for early-career, mid-career, and late-career family physicians that explored self-maintenance, reciprocity, and holistic healing.
Here are some examples of how to reduce burnout across the collective community of family physicians, regardless of the stage of practice.
At the organizational level, systems can streamline electronic medical records through AI-assisted documentation like voice-to-text, medical scribes to reduce the time spent charting, and pre-populated templates for common cases.
Organizations can also find opportunities to optimize flexible work hours and shifts. This might look like shorter shifts, 4-day work weeks, hybrid schedules, and protected administrative time. A 2022 Mayo Clinic study found physicians with work-hour flexibility had 30% less burnout rates.
Peer-supported programs are another way to reduce rates of emotional exhaustion. This might include leadership support and mentorship, training hospital medical leaders to prioritize physician well-being, and implementing debriefing sessions for emotionally intense cases.
Individual Strategies to Decrease Burnout
A JAMA study found that physicians who practice Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) have a 28% reduction in burnout symptoms. This includes meditation, breathwork, and body awareness exercises. Additionally, cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a useful tool to help reframe negative thought patterns and build stress management skills.
Dr. Penn acknowledged the potential stigma and fears around CBT and similar solutions during her presentation but encouraged physicians to recognize they are commonplace today.
Practical techniques physicians can use to immediately lower stress include:
Breathwork like 5-5-5 breathing for nervous system regulation. (The 5-5-5 method involves inhaling very slowly through your nose for five seconds, exhaling slowly for five seconds, and pausing for five seconds.)
Guided imagery and meditation for stress reduction and focus.
Movement through osteopathic micro-breaks like Tai Chi, Qigong, or yoga.
Additional, self-OMT treatment techniques such as suboccipital release and rib-raising are excellent ways to de-stress in the moment, as is partner-based OMT.
Burnout in family medicine is a critical issue facing family physicians, but it is not inevitable. Leverage the many resources available to help and don’t be afraid to raise your hand for help, mentorship and community.
Watch the Full Session On Demand
Dr. Penn’s full session is available on demand, as is the entire Convention health and wellness track, and all Convention presentations.
