Medici sull’orlo di una crisi di nervi. Dal sogno del servizio pubblico alla fuga verso il privato e l’estero [Doctors on the verge of a nervous breakdown: from the dream of public service to the flight toward the private sector and abroad]

The medical profession within Italy’s public healthcare system is experiencing a profound crisis marked by structural inefficiencies, professional dissatisfaction, and cultural transformation. Increasing workloads, inadequate remuneration, bureaucratic overload, and heightened exposure to legal and physical risks have led to widespread burnout and disengagement, particularly among younger and female physicians. The COVID-19 pandemic has further intensified these dynamics, accelerating voluntary departures from the public sector toward private practice and employment abroad. This phenomenon reflects not only economic and organizational shortcomings but also a generational shift in values, where ideals of flexibility, autonomy, and self-realization replace traditional notions of stability and institutional loyalty. Addressing this exodus requires a dual approach: substantial economic and organizational reforms, accompanied by a renewed cultural vision capable of restoring meaning, dignity, and professional recognition within public medicine