Abstract
ObjectivesTo assess levels of burnout in medical students, and to explore the influence of extracurricular activities on burnout at a medical school in Saudi Arabia. MethodsThis cross-sectional study was conducted with first to fourth year medical students at King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences (KSAU-HS) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Socio-demographic, burnout level (the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey, MBI-SS) and participation in extracurricular activities data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Statistical analyses were performed using the Pearson’s chi-square test and binary logistic regression. ResultsFrom the 306 medical students approached, 249 (81.4%) completed the questionnaire. The level of high burnout was 67.1% (n=167). The study revealed that the majority (62.3%, n=155) of students had high levels of cynicism, 58.6% (n=146) had high levels of emotional exhaustion, and 60.2% (n=150) had low levels of professional efficacy. Most of the students (73.5%, n=183) participated in extracurricular activities, and 112 (45%) students were organizers of extracurricular activities. No significant association was found between burnout levels and the frequency of involvement in extracurricular activities (χ2=2.2, df=2, p=0.333). However, students who were organizing extracurricular activities were less likely to have low professional efficacy (OR=0.51, 95% CI: 0.27- 0.96). ConclusionsHigh levels of burnout were reported at this medical school. Although the burnout level is not significantly associated with the frequency of involvement in extracurricular activities, leading and organizing extracurricular activities might result in lower levels of burnout. Therefore, improving the students’ leadership skills should be considered in curriculum planning, and greater emphasis should be placed on the quality of involvement in extracurricular activities rather than the quantity.
Highlights
Medical schools are devoted to establishing an enabling learning environment to develop highly qualified physicians having the required knowledge, skills and competence
Improving the students’ leadership skills should be considered in curriculum planning, and greater emphasis should be placed on the quality of involvement in extracurricular activities rather than the quantity
Our findings demonstrate that students who achieve a low grade point average (GPA) (
Summary
Medical schools are devoted to establishing an enabling learning environment to develop highly qualified physicians having the required knowledge, skills and competence. Medical students go through stressful events, and they are engaged in multiple activities. They experience academic, existential and psychological stressors that may cause deteriorating mental health during medical school.[1] Studies have shown that health related quality of life is poor among medical students,[2] and students in their clinical years experience the most negative impact.[3] Muneer and colleagues[4] reported high levels of stress among Malaysian dental students, with fear of failure in a course being ranked as the top stressor. Students who experience a high level of stress with poor coping strategies during medical school are vulnerable to develop burnout.[5,6,7]
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