Burnout and Physical Activity in Medical Students.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychology
• Public Health

Background:

• Burnout in medical students is linked to stress and reduced productivity.
• Factors contributing to medical student burnout require further investigation.
• Understanding burnout prevalence is crucial for student well-being and academic success.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify burnout levels among medical students at University College Cork (UCC).
• To examine the association between physical activity and burnout in medical students.
• To identify demographic factors associated with burnout and physical activity.

Main Methods:

• Survey of 383 medical students at UCC using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS).
• Assessment of physical activity using the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ).
• Statistical analysis to explore associations between burnout, physical activity, and demographic variables.

Main Results:

• High emotional exhaustion (44.8%) and low professional efficacy (51.2%) were prevalent among students.
• A significant portion of students (53.2%) met criteria for Health-Enhancing Physical Activity (HEFA-active).
• Gender, year group, and nationality were associated with burnout and physical activity levels.

Conclusions:

• Burnout is a significant issue for medical students, characterized by emotional exhaustion and reduced professional efficacy.
• Health-enhancing physical activity may be a protective factor against burnout in medical students.
• Further research is warranted to elucidate the relationship between physical activity and professional efficacy in this population.