Burnout in medical students and its psychological correlates with mentorship, motivation and professional values

IntroductionBurnout is prevalent among medical students, arising from rigorous training and personal pressures. It is closely linked to stress-related and mood disorders. This study examined the prevalence of burnout among medical students at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) and explored its association with mentorship, motivation and professional values, with the aim of informing strategies for mental health and educational support.Materials and methodsThis cross-sectional study involved convenience sampling of 328 UKM medical students participating in UKM mentoring programmes. Structured questionnaires assessed sociodemographic characteristics, burnout (Copenhagen Burnout Inventory), mentorship experiences, motivation (Strength of Motivation for Medical School-Revised) and professional values (Physician Values in Practice Scale). Statistical analyses included Student’s t-test, chi-square test and logistic regression.ResultsAmong 328 respondents, high personal, work-related and client-related burnout rates were 60.4, 47.3 and 32.0%, respectively. Mentor approachability in lecturer mentorship was associated with lower work-related burnout (p < 0.001, OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.47–0.82). In peer mentorship, personal attributes were associated with lower personal (p < 0.001, OR = 0.41, 95% CI = 0.25–0.66) and work-related burnout (p = 0.013, OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.52–0.93). Persistence in motivation was associated with lower work-related (p < 0.001, OR = 0.85, 95% CI = 0.80–0.92) and client-related burnout (p < 0.001, OR = 0.82, 95% CI = 0.77–0.87). Professional values of service were linked to reduced client-related burnout (p = 0.009).ConclusionInterventions for burnout among medical students should focus on enhancing the quality of lecturer and peer mentorship while also strengthening students’ motivation and professional values during medical training. Mental health educators play an essential role in embedding well-being strategies within medical education to reduce burnout.