Background/Objectives: Recognizing workforce shortages and adverse impacts of trainee emotional exhaustion, we aimed to measure baseline levels of wellness, resilience, and burnout among pediatric rheumatology fellows as well as to understand the feasibility of implementing a narrative medicine intervention in this population. Methods: This study involved pre- and post-participation questionnaires for pediatric rheumatology fellows in the United States and Canada who participated in a narrative medicine intervention. Survey components included the Mini Z Burnout Survey, the Mayo Well-being Index and the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC), baseline demographics and self-reported burnout-related factors. Results: All sixteen invited fellows completed the pre-participation survey, and 15 of the 16 participants completed the narrative intervention. The median (range) baseline CD-RISC resilience score was 73.5 (44–88), and the baseline Mini-Z Burnout Survey showed high levels of burnout with a median (range) of 34 (17–44). The median (range) score of the baseline Mayo Well-being Index was 3 (0–7), with scores of ≥4 associated with physicians at risk of suicidal ideation and/or serious thoughts of leaving medicine. Following participation in the narrative medicine intervention, surveys showed a shift toward feelings that work is meaningful, as well as a shift toward feelings of having time for personal and family life. Conclusions: In this pilot study, baseline levels of wellness, resilience, and burnout among pediatric rheumatology fellows highlighted target areas to mitigate burnout and maximize resilience among fellows. Narrative medicine is a feasible and acceptable intervention, and future larger studies should investigate the possible impact of narrative medicine on burnout among pediatric rheumatology fellows.

Background: Physician burnout threatens clinician well-being, job satisfaction, retention, and access to care. Pediatric rheumatology faces documented workforce shortages, yet little specialty-specific information exists regarding physician well-being, burnout symptoms, and workplace characteristics. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive survey of CARRA-registered pediatric rheumatologists in North America between January and March 2024. Participants completed the Mayo Clinic Well-Being Index (WBI), followed by the AMA Organizational Biopsy^® survey incorporating the Mini-Z 2.0 and demographic/workplace questions. Descriptive statistics summarized physician well-being, burnout symptoms, and workplace characteristics. Differences in WBI scores across response categories for two WBI anchor items assessing work–life integration and work meaningfulness were evaluated using ANOVA. AMA workplace data were available only in aggregate form and could not be linked to individual WBI responses. Results: Of 330 invited pediatric rheumatologists, 164 (49.7%) completed the WBI survey and 145 (88.4%) completed the redirected AMA survey. The mean WBI score was 2.7 (SD 1.9), and 36.0% scored ≥4. On the Mini-Z single-item measure, 48.3% of respondents endorsed at least one category consistent with burnout symptoms; by comparison, 64.0% endorsed the WBI item asking whether they had felt burned out from work during the past month. Frequently reported workplace challenges included documentation burden (56.6%), EHR-related frustration (59.3%), and after-hours EHR work (55.2%). Work–life integration was significantly associated with WBI scores (ANOVA p < 0.001), whereas meaningfulness of work was not (p = 0.26). Conclusions: Indicators of burnout symptoms and occupational distress were common among the responding pediatric rheumatologists. Frequently reported workplace challenges and the observed association between work–life integration and WBI scores identify potential areas for future organizational well-being initiatives.