Background: Burnout syndrome (BS) is a set of psychological symptoms resulting from the interaction between chronic occupational stress and individual factors. These symptoms include emotional exhaustion, depersonalization and decreased professional satisfaction. BS is manifested in a variety of professions and is prevalent in contexts in which health professionals are required to interact directly with the public. Objective: To determine the prevalence of BS among medical students at a university in Ceará State, Brazil. Methods: Of the 517 students enrolled in their first to eighth semester in 2013, 376 (72.7%) were contacted. A socio-economic evaluation questionnaire and the Maslach Burnout Inventory -Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) were administered. Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS 20.0. Two groups -burnout/risk and non-burnout -were compared using the chi-square and likelihood ratio tests with a significance level of 5%. Variables with p < 0.20 were included in a multivariate analysis logistical regression model. Results: Burnout was detected in 14.9% of the students, and 57.7% showed a risk of developing the syndrome. Logistic regressions showed an association between burnout and "have failed examinations" and "have considered abandoning the course", p = 0.047 and p < 0.0001, respectively. Discussion: Psychopedagogy should be implemented to address the high prevalence of burnout in medical students.