Burnout among Medical and Dental Students: Prevalence, Determinants, and Coping Mechanisms.

Abstract

Objective: To assess the burnout and resilience scores among medical and dental students and to identify the factors that affect burnout and resilience of the students.

Study design: Descriptive cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of the Study: Bahria University Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan, from March to September 2023.

Methodology: A calculated sample of 392 students participated in this cross-sectional study. In which students self-administered the Burnout Assessment Test (BAT-23) and Brief Resilience Scale (BRS) questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were determined using frequency and percentages and multiple regression analysis.

Results: The mean age of the students was 21.6 ± 1.6 years predominantly females from a medical college, studying in clinical years, and residing in hostels or rented flats. The total burnout was 38%, out of which academic burnout was 80%. Among the four burnout categories, most of the students experienced exhaustion (87.5%) followed by cognitive impairment. The brief resilience score was high which assessed the coping mechanism, and 74.5% of the students had normal resilience. Medical students in clinical years living with a family, spending few hours on social media, having financial difficulties, and having lower resilience are all associated with a slightly higher burnout score.

Conclusion: The students displayed elevated brief resilience scores, signifying proficient coping strategies despite high academic burnout frequency. Exhaustion was the most widespread in the burnout categories, and factors linked to a slightly increased burnout score encompassed being a medical student in clinical years, living with family, dedicating more time to social media, encountering financial challenges, and possessing lower resilience.

Key words: Burnout, Resilience, Medical students, Exhaustion.