Prevalence of Burnout Syndrome in the Beginning and End of Internship Course in Medical Students of Qazvin University of Medical Sciences

Abstract

Background: Studies have shown that ignoring burnout in medical students lead to worsened disease condition and paying less attention to its progression. We aimed to determine the prevalence of burnout and its relationship with demographic factors in medical students during internship in Qazvin University, during 2014-2015. Methods: 130 medical students participated in this study. They completed demographic questionnaire and Maslach Burnout Inventory at the beginning and end of their internship course. The relationship between each of the three components of burnout and demographic characteristics were analyzed. Job burnout scores were compared between the beginning and end of the internship course. Results: in this study, a significant relationship was not observed between the prevalence of burnout and demographic variables (age, sex, marital status, place of residence, and smoking). The prevalence of burnout was significantly more at the end of internship course (P<0.05, X2=24.09). With respect to the components of burnout, we found that the participants’ scores in the three subscales of the burnout questionnaire was significantly higher after the internship course compared to before it (emotional exhaustion t=-3.25, P=0.01; depersonalization t=-3.98, P<0.05; personal accomplishment t=-2.11,P=0.036). Conclusion: the study showed that the prevalence of burnout syndrome and its components among medical students was high during internship. Due to the high cost of burnout, implementing appropriate strategies for reducing it is essential. Keywords: MEDICAL STUDENT, BURNOUT, INTERNSHIP