Burnout and professional commitment in medical faculty students in Türkiye: A cross-sectional analysis

Abstract

Background: Burnout is a stress-related syndrome that affects medical students. Certain environmental and personal factors can contribute to the onset of burnout and lead to serious consequences such as dropping out of school, sleep disorders, depression, and even suicide. Professional commitment is a personal characteristic that positively influences burnout. Methods: This research was conducted to determine the differentiation of burnout levels among medical school students based on certain variables and examine the impact of professional commitment on burnout. The research sample consisted of a total of 130 individuals studying of Medical Faculty in Türkiye. Descriptive and correlational research techniques, including survey models, were utilized in the study. Data were collected through online platforms and face-to-face surveys. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS program. Results: The research findings revealed that male students had higher depersonalization scores than female students (P<0.05). Emotional exhaustion and depersonalization scores were found to be higher among students with poor academic performance (P<0.017), those who did not choose medical school willingly (P<0.017), and those who chose medical school due to family pressure (P<0.05). Among female students, those who chose medical school willingly and those who chose it as their dream profession had higher scores of professional commitment. As professional commitment scores increased, burnout scale scores and their subscales, including exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced personal accomplishment, decreased (P<0.05). Conclusion: The findings of the study indicate a relationship between professional commitment and burnout, suggesting that professional commitment can reduce burnout levels. This highlights the importance of increasing the level of professional commitment among medical students, who are future physicians. Strengthening students’ commitment to their profession can decrease the risk of burnout and improve the quality of healthcare services.