High Rate of Burnout in Medical Students: Implications for Physicians

Burnout, defined in a recent study of 249 medical students as “a syndrome of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and reduced personal accomplishment,” is a recognized problem for physicians and other healthcare providers. Santen and colleagues found a moderate or high degree of burnout in one third of the students studied. One fifth of first-year students already were experiencing burnout, compared with 40 percent of third- and fourth-year students. Symptoms of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization peaked in the third year, while perceived lack of personal accomplishment peaked in the second year. The authors called for development and evaluation of strategies to prevent burnout in medical students and posited that such strategies might be useful in preventing burnout in practicing physicians.
Southern Medical Journal