فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

Burnout among physicians often begins in medical school and is more prevalent than in other fields. This study aimed to examine the impact of COVID-19 on different aspects of burnout in third-year medical students at a minority-serving medical school on the U.S.-Mexico border. A comparative study was conducted including students from the classes of 2019–2023. Data from the classes of 2019–2021 represented the pre-COVID period and were compared to classes 2022–2023, representing the post-COVID period. Within the class of 2023, two integrated rotation blocks—Obstetrics & Gynecology/Pediatrics/Surgery (OPS) and Internal Medicine/Family Medicine/Psychiatry (IFP)—were compared to evaluate whether non-COVID-related experiences contributed to differences in burnout. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS), assessing Emotional Exhaustion (EE), Depersonalization (DP), and Personal Accomplishment (PA). Analyses included paired or unpaired t-tests for normally distributed data and Mann–Whitney tests for non-normally distributed data. After the onset of COVID-19, EE (P<0.0001), DP (P<0.0001), and PA (P=0.02) decreased. No significant differences were observed between rotation blocks; however, compared to a general population sample, the OPS block had higher EE (P=0.0003) than the IFP block. Before COVID-19, students’ EE (P<0.01), DP (P<0.0001), and PA (P<0.05) were better than the general population, while after COVID-19, EE was lower than the general population (P<0.0001). These findings indicate that both the COVID-19 environment and clerkship-specific experiences influence burnout in medical students. Limitations include differences in survey administration, class year comparisons, and response bias. Broader national assessments and targeted interventions are recommended to reduce burnout in clerkship medical students and potentially in other medical schools facing similar challenges.