Interesting observations about the COVID angle....can see the "burn out" aspect. But I think it's a a host of larger issues....
My Son just finished his 2nd year of Med School (he wants to be a Vascular Surgeon). Talking to him and hearing some of his insights are...interesting, and disturbing.
1) Many going into the profession are, his words...."snowflakes". They expect to be passed through without hard work, they expect accommodations instead of "sucking it up" and pressing on, they seem to gravitate to the "softer" side of medicine (ie: therapy, discussions, etc.) instead of hardcore medicine (getting in there up to your elbows and getting the job done).
2) The "woke" phenomena has infiltrated the medical profession. They are being taught to be "gentler", "kinder", "more empathetic". As my Son says..."Dad, if I have some fat f***k come in and complain about his diabetes/high blood pressure/achy joints/etc., I'm going to tell him...Hey! Your a fat f**k and need to lose weight dumbazz!" (LOL...he's alot like me in some aspects). He says they are taught to dance around the straight up truth so as not to alarm patients and cause anxiety
Luckily for us....he's like his Old Man....a no-nonsense, roll your sleeves up and get the job done type. I've been accused of having the "empathy of a flea"....well, he has even less! LOL. He said his hardest course so far was on "empathy"....he said the biological/chemistry/etc stuff is easy...but being empathetic is HARD! LOL....but, he's learning....