Stress faced by medical students – a outlook on prevalence of burnout amongst medical students and their ways of stress coping
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58676/sjmas.v2i10.97Keywords:
Adaptive and maladaptive coping, Medical student burnout, Stress-coping mechanisms, Emotional exhaustion, Mental health in medical educationAbstract
Background: Medical education is recognized as one of the most stressful fields of study, exposing students to significant mental and physical challenges. The high prevalence of burnout among medical students has been attributed to demanding curricula, rigorous examinations, and other external stressors. Burnout, characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal achievement, can adversely impact students' academic performance and overall well-being. Addressing burnout and understanding stress-coping mechanisms are essential to support medical students' mental health.
Methods and Materials: A descriptive study was conducted among 72 international medical students at Kursk State Medical University (KSMU). Participants, spanning from the first to sixth year, completed an anonymous online survey comprising 45 closed-ended questions. The survey included demographic data, the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) to measure burnout dimensions, and the Brief-COPE questionnaire to assess coping mechanisms. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the levels of burnout and coping strategies adopted by students.
Results: The findings revealed that medical students experienced moderate levels of burnout, with emotional exhaustion being the most prominent component. While depersonalization was relatively low, students exhibited significant emotional stress without losing interest in their studies. The majority of participants adopted adaptive coping mechanisms such as problem-focused coping (e.g., seeking solutions and advice) and emotion-focused coping (e.g., venting, humor, and spirituality). Maladaptive coping strategies, such as self-blame and self-distraction, were observed but less prevalent. Academic workload was identified as the primary stressor, followed by financial constraints and relationship challenges.
Conclusion: The study highlights moderate burnout levels among international medical students, emphasizing the importance of effective stress management strategies. Adaptive coping mechanisms were preferred over maladaptive ones, reflecting students' resilience. Targeted interventions, such as counseling programs and stress management training, are recommended to further support medical students' mental health and academic success.
References
Almojali, A. I., Almalki, S. A., Alothman, A. S., Masuadi, E. M., & Alaqeel, M. K. (2017). The prevalence and association of stress with sleep quality among medical students. Journal of Epidemiology and Global Health, 7(3), 169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jegh.2017.04.005
A, L. (2024, October 17). Travail | Évaluer le burn-out : l’échelle MBI. Outils Psy. https://outils-psy.com/evaluer-le-burnout-lechelle-mbi/
Alves, S. A., Sinval, J., Neto, L. L., Marôco, J., Ferreira, A. G., & Oliveira, P. (2022). Burnout and dropout intention in medical students: the protective role of academic engagement. BMC Medical Education, 22(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-021-03094-9
Atlam, S. (2018). Burnout Syndrome: Determinants and Predictors among Medical Students of Tanta University, Egypt. The Egyptian Journal of Community Medicine, 36(01), 61–73. https://doi.org/10.21608/ejcm.2018.6870
Buchanan, B. (2024, May 15). Coping orientation to problems experienced inventory (Brief-COPE). NovoPsych. https://novopsych.com.au/assessments/formulation/brief-cope/#:~:text=The%20Brief%2DCOPE%20is%20a,associated%20with%20negative%20life%20experiences.
Dyrbye, L. N., West, C. P., Satele, D., Boone, S., Tan, L., Sloan, J., & Shanafelt, T. D. (2014). Burnout among US medical students, residents, and early career physicians relative to the general U.S. population. Academic Medicine, 89(3), 443–451. https://doi.org/10.1097/acm.0000000000000134
Dyrbye, L. N., Thomas, M. R., Massie, F. S., Power, D. V., Eacker, A., Harper, W., Durning, S., Moutier, C., Szydlo, D. W., Novotny, P. J., Sloan, J. A., & Shanafelt, T. D. (2008). Burnout and Suicidal Ideation among US Medical Students. Annals of Internal Medicine, 149(5), 334. https://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-149-5-200809020-00008
Hill, M. R., Goicochea, S., & Merlo, L. J. (2018). In their own words: stressors facing medical students in the millennial generation. Medical Education Online, 23(1), 1530558. https://doi.org/10.1080/10872981.2018.1530558
Morcos, G., & Awan, O. A. (2022). Burnout in Medical School: A Medical Student's perspective. Academic Radiology, 30(6), 1223–1225. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.acra.2022.11.023
Schneiderman, N., Ironson, G., & Siegel, S. D. (2004). Stress and health: psychological, behavioral, and biological determinants. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 1(1), 607–628. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.1.102803.144141
Thompson, R. J., Mata, J., Jaeggi, S. M., Buschkuehl, M., Jonides, J., & Gotlib, I. H. (2010). Maladaptive coping, adaptive coping, and depressive symptoms: Variations across age and depressive state. Behavior Research and Therapy, 48(6), 459–466. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2010.01.007
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2024 Ungku Aminah Naqiyah Binti Ungku Fadzil, Dr. Ghassan Salibi, Prof Nikolaos Tzenios
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
