Burnout in International Medical Students: Characterization of Professionalism and Loneliness as Predictive Factors of Burnout

Ivan P. Gradiski, Ana Borovecki, Marko Ćurković, Montserrat San-Martín, Roberto C. Delgado Bolton and Luis Vivanco
Additional contact information
Ivan P. Gradiski: Department of Urgent Psychiatry, University Psychiatric Hospital Vrapče, 10090 Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Borovecki: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Marko Ćurković: School of Medicine, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Montserrat San-Martín: Department of Statistics and Operational Research, University of Granada, 52003 Melilla, Spain
Roberto C. Delgado Bolton: Department of Diagnostic Imaging (Radiology) and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital San Pedro, 26006 Logroño, Spain
Luis Vivanco: Platform of Bioethics and Medical Education, Centre for Biomedical Research of La Rioja, 26006 Logroño, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 3, 1-13

Abstract: Background: Burnout is a common mental problem in medical students. For those who are following medical studies abroad there is a higher risk of suffering this syndrome, due to the combination of academic stress and the stress derived from their new living situation. This study was performed with the purpose of testing the following hypothesis: in medical students enrolled in medical programs abroad, abilities associated with professionalism and family support play a protective role in the prevention of suffering burnout. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed in the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Zagreb, where a fully English medical program is offered. The general version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-GS) was used as a dependent variable, while Jefferson Scales of empathy, teamwork, and physician lifelong learning and the Social and Emotional Loneliness Scale for Adults were used as predictive variables. In addition, information related to sex, country of birth, native language, age, academic achievement, and living situation were collected in a socio-demographic form. Linear regression models were applied to identify predictors of burnout. Results: In a sample composed of 188 medical students (38 Croatians and 144 foreigners from 28 countries), 18% of the global score in the MBI-GS was explained by lifelong learning and family loneliness. A separate analysis for each domain of the MBI-GS allowed the creation of three models: the first model explained 19% of the variance of the “exhaustion” domain by “country of birth”, “living with parents”, “academic year”, and “cynicism”; a second model explained 24% of the variance of the “cynicism” domain by “academic year”, “empathy”, “lifelong learning”, and “exhaustion”; and finally, a third model explained 24% of the variance of the “professional efficacy” domain by “lifelong learning”, “family loneliness”, and “cynicism”. All obtained models presented an effect size between medium and large, as well as matching the required conditions for statistical inference. Conclusions: These findings confirm the important role that family plays as a source of support for medical students. Empathy and lifelong learning, two specific elements of medical professionalism, appear as protective factors in the prevention of burnout in international students.

Keywords: international medical students; burnout; empathy; lifelong learning; loneliness; family (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/3/1385/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/3/1385/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:3:p:1385-:d:734707

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().