More than 40 percent of third-year medical students have symptoms of moderate to severe burnout, according to a study in the August Southern Medical Journal, official journal of the Southern Medical Association. The journal is published by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, a part of Wolters Kluwer Health, a leading provider of information and business intelligence for students, professionals, and institutions in medicine, nursing, allied health, and pharmacy.
The new results suggest that the common problem of burnout in doctors may start as early as the first year of medical school. "Burnout progressively develops over the course of medical education, while high support and less stress decrease burnout," concludes the study by Dr. Sally A. Santen and colleagues of Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta.
Low Support, High Stress and Lack of Control Are Key Contributors
Using a standard questionnaire, the researchers assessed symptoms of burnout in 249 medical students. Defined as "a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment," burnout is an important concern in physicians, nurses, and other healthcare providers.
Overall, one-third of the medical students had a moderate or high degree of burnout. Burnout was already present in 21 percent of first-year students, increasing to more than 40 percent of third- and fourth-year students. In fourth-year students, the rate of moderate to high burnout decreased to 31 percent.
The study was the first to assess all three dimensions of burnout in medical students. Symptoms of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization peaked in the third year of medical school, while lack of personal accomplishment peaked in the second year.
Burnout was more likely for students who said they had lower levels of support, increased levels of stress, and a feeling of not having control over their lives. Burnout was more than twice as likely for students with high scores for stress. In contrast, those who were satisfied with their support or felt they had control over their lives were half as likely to be burned out.