Medical Studies during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Impact of Digital Learning on Medical Students’ Burnout and Mental Health

Abstract

Objectives: The aim of this ecological study was to investigate what the impact of digital learning due to the COVID-19 pandemic was on the burnout and overall mental health (MH) of medical students. Background: During the unprecedented era of the COVID-19 pandemic, the majority of countries worldwide adopted very strong measures. Universities closed their doors, and education continued through digital learning lectures. Methods: An anonymous questionnaire was administered to all 189 eligible candidates before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health was assessed via the MH domain of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36) and burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory—Student Survey (MBI-SS). Results: The overall response rate was 81.5%. The overall burnout prevalence did not differ significantly between the two periods (pre-COVID-19 18.1% vs. COVID-19 18.2%). However, the burnout prevalence dropped significantly in year 4 (pre-COVID-19 40.7% vs. COVID-19 16.7%, p = 0.011), whereas it increased significantly in year 6 (pre-COVID-19 27.6% vs. COVID-19 50%, p = 0.01). When looking at each MBI-SS dimension separately, we found that emotional exhaustion decreased significantly in year 4 but increased in year 6, and cynicism increased in all years. The overall MH deteriorated significantly between the two periods (pre-COVID-19 58.8 ± 21.6 vs. COVID-19 48.3 ± 23, p < 0.001). Conclusions: Digital learning in medical studies carries significant risks. Not only does the MH deteriorate, but cynicism levels also increase. Emotional exhaustion was found to increase particularly in final year students, who struggle with the lack of clinical experience just before they start working as qualified junior doctors.

Impact of the first COVID-19 lockdown on study satisfaction and burnout in medical students in Split, Croatia: a cross-sectional presurvey and postsurvey

“…Our results and comparisons of burnout levels are consistent with the findings of Zis et al 28 that showed no changes in burnout levels when comparing prepandemic and postpandemic data. However, our study had a larger sample, pairing of prequestionnaire and postquestionnaire results, and used two burnout instruments.…”

“…One study found a negative impact of e-learning during lockdown on students’ mental health but no conclusive change in burnout. 28 Another study found that e-learning improved medical students’ mental health and decreased their burnout levels. 29 Findings on medical student satisfaction with e-learning programmes and online teaching are currently mixed.…”

The Relationship between Mental Health, Educational Burnout and Strategies for Coping with Stress among Students. A Cross-Sectional Study of Poland

“…Social isolation, lower motivation, the lack of contacts with peers and teachers, exhaustion from learning on the computer, the lack of physical activity constitute the educational burnout syndrome. The above findings are observed in other studies [25,26]. Different findings indicating a decrease in educational burnout among students during the quarantine have also come to being [27].…”

The Effectiveness of the Blended Learning in Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics on the Basis of the Survey among 4th-Year Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…The authors suggested that the pandemic crisis will allow enriching dental education with new methods based on modern technologies. Furthermore, Zis et al [33] investigated the impact of digital learning on the burnout and overall mental health of medical students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The burnout prevalence did not differ significantly between the pre-COVID and COVID periods.…”