Neurosurgery is regarded as a meaningful career. However, there is no assessment of how many neurosurgeons hold this belief, factors that affect it, or the consequences that follow when neurosurgeons cannot practice in ways they find meaningful. We sought to quantify the neurosurgical experience of meaningful work, evaluate the impact of administrative burden, and relate meaningful work to physician attrition.

An online survey investigating meaningful work, administrative burden, organizational commitment, and practice patterns was emailed to attending neurosurgeon members of the Congress of Neurological Surgeons.

308 neurosurgeons completed the survey. 85.1% of neurosurgeons reported that they found their career to be meaningful; however, most also reported their administrative burden as excessive (59.4%). Over the past 10 years, 17.2% of neurosurgeons left a position due to excessive administrative burden. On multivariable analysis, increased burnout score correlated with increases in administrative hours outside of work (p = 0.0042), perception of excessive administrative burden (p = 0.0267), and willingness to leave a current position of employment (p = 0.0006). Rising administrative burden trended towards reduced experience of meaningful work (p = 0.062). A positive working relationship with their neurosurgical department enhanced meaningful work (p < 0.0017) and willingness to remain at place of employment (p = 0.0027).

The majority of neurosurgeons find neurosurgery to be a meaningful career. Critical to meaningful work is maintaining a good departmental working relationship and reducing administrative tasks. When neurosurgeons cannot practice their work meaningfully, they risk burnout. Organizations that do not invest in reducing their neurosurgical administrative burdens are at high risk for neurosurgeon attrition.