The majority of medical students experience burnout in some capacity, including 38% who say they frequently or constantly grapple with the complex syndrome marked by feelings of exhaustion, cynicism and a reduced sense of personal accomplishment, according to a new Medscape report.
The publication released "Lectures, Labs and Lives Under Stress: Medscape Medical Student LIfestyle Report 2024" on Sept. 4, based on a survey of 738 U.S. medical students who participated in an online survey between March 25 and June 11.
Overall, 82% of respondents said they experience burnout in some capacity: 16% said it is a rare occurrence, 44% said sometimes, 29% said frequently and 9% said constantly. Sixty-one percent of respondents were between the ages of 25 and 29.
Here are four more findings from the report:
- About 1 in 6 medical students indicate they've had thoughts of suicide or have attempted suicide during their training years.
- Recently, health systems and medical schools have made efforts to reduce the stigma associated with mental healthcare that has long persisted in the medical field. Survey results indicate those efforts may be having a positive effect, with 41% of medical students reporting having met with a licensed therapist and 12% saying they've met with a school counselor.
- Many respondents indicated their medical schools have a culture committed to addressing students' stress levels. On a scale of 1 to 5, with 5 being a very high priority, 34% rated their medical school a 3; 28% rated their school a 4 and 10% selected a five-star rating.
- Depression appeared to be less common than burnout, though still prevalent among medical students. Thirty-five percent of respondents said they experience depression sometimes, 16% said frequently and 4% said constantly.
View the survey in full here.