Examining the Relationships Between Work Environment and Stress Coping Mechanisms With Burnout in Medical Students

Throughout the duration of medical training, learners are oftentimes overworked and faced with high levels of stress and pressure; this can decrease quality of life for many individuals. The goal of this study was to gain an understanding of how work environments and stress coping mechanisms play a role in the amount of burnout experienced by medical students.

Data was collected from medical students at the University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine by using a 22 question Qualtrics survey. The survey remained open until a 50% response rate was achieved from the student body. The results of the survey were analyzed by using 2 sample t-tests and ANOVA tests as appropriate.

No statistically significant differences were found in total burnout ratings, coping mechanisms, and perception of the work environment between the different cohorts of medical students. Students who had healthier behaviors, such as following CDC recommendations on sleep, exercise, and fruit and vegetable consumption or practicing meditation and mindfulness, had lower levels of burnout compared to those who did not. Students who stated on the survey that they were experiencing burnout had a lower overall score on the survey, indicating higher levels of burnout.

Some medical students may recognize when they are burning out, so providing resources to help them incorporate healthier behaviors into their lifestyles may help aid in burnout recovery. Finding effective ways to help students deal with stressors and develop coping mechanisms improves their own quality of life and can hence improve patient outcomes.