Global job satisfaction among emergency medicine professionals: results from the 2025 Emergency Medicine Day Survey.

Abstract

Background and importance: Emergency medicine professionals face persistent challenges, including excessive workloads, shift work, and emotional stress. Job satisfaction is essential for workforce sustainability, quality of care, and retention; however, international research remains limited.

Objectives: To evaluate self-reported job satisfaction among emergency medicine professionals globally - including prehospital providers - and explore how individual and institutional factors influence it.

Design: International cross-sectional study using a structured, anonymous online survey.

Settings and participants: The survey was disseminated via international emergency medicine organizations (European Society for Emergency Medicine, International Federation for Emergency Medicine, South Asian Federation of Emergency Medicine, African Federation for Emergency Medicine, among others) over 3 weeks in April 2025. Eligible respondents included physicians, nurses, and paramedics working in prehospital and in-hospital emergency medicine settings.

Outcome measures and analysis: The primary outcome was the satisfaction score (range: 9-36), based on the nine-domain Lausanne scale. Overall job satisfaction was assessed separately using a single-item Likert scale (0-9). Descriptive and inferential statistics explored associations with demographic and organizational variables.

Main results: A total of 1112 professionals from 79 countries participated (56% female and 85.8% physicians). The mean satisfaction score was 25.37 (SD = 4.36), with a median overall satisfaction estimation of 6.77 (interquartile range = 2). High scores were reported for organisational commitment, co-worker support, and professional fulfilment. The lowest scores concerned career opportunities and work organization. Lower satisfaction was reported in high-volume emergency departments (>100 000 visits/year) and among mid-career professionals (5-20 years of experience). Intention to remain in the current role was significantly associated with higher satisfaction (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: The Emergency Medicine Day 2025 Survey provides one of the largest international assessments of job satisfaction in emergency medicine to date. Despite moderate-to-high satisfaction overall, challenges persist regarding career development and workload - particularly in high-pressure settings. These findings support the implementation of targeted interventions to enhance leadership, support mid-career staff, and foster resilient, well-functioning teams.