Burnout Among Medical Students: A Comparison Between Those Interested in Surgical Subspecialties and Non-Surgical Fields

Burnout Among Medical Students: A Comparison Between Those Interested in Surgical Subspecialties and Non-Surgical Fields | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Burnout Among Medical Students: A Comparison Between Those Interested in Surgical Subspecialties and Non-Surgical Fields Raisa Rauf, Hannah Bard, Khu Aten De Macedo, Matthew DePamphilis, and 6 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-6951665/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Under Review Version 1 posted 5 You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract Objectives: Burnout is a chronic state of emotional exhaustion from prolonged stress, characterized by fatigue, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. Surgery shows higher burnout rates among residents and attendings but whether burnout precedes or results from the field is unclear. This is the first study to compare burnout levels between medical students interested in surgical versus non-surgical fields. Methods: This study evaluates students at an accredited US medical school. A web-based questionnaire was administered in two parts: career characteristic preferences and burnout assessment using the Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey. Students were surveyed at three time points: before second year (pre-M2), after second year (post-M2), and after third year (post-M3). Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney tests were performed to assess statistical differences between students interested in surgical and non-surgical specialties over time and between groups at each timepoint, respectively. Results: A total of 138 surveys were completed: 53 pre-M2, 50 post-M2, and 35 post-M3. Among these, 44 responses were from the same participants at multiple timepoints. Of the 94 unique participants, 44 were interested in surgical specialties and 50 were interested in non-surgical fields. Significant differences rated on a Likert scale emerged in career priorities between surgical and non-surgical students in personality fit (5.5 vs. 6.2, p=0.001), training length (3.9 vs. 5.1, p<0.0001), work-life balance (5.1 vs. 6.2, p<0.0001), and burnout potential (4.7 vs. 5.5, p=0.005). However, burnout measures showed no significant change over time within or between groups across pre-M2, post-M2, and post-M3 surveys. The only significant difference found was in professional efficacy after the third year (3.4 vs. 4.5, p=0.024) between the two groups. Conclusion: It is established that burnout rates are high among surgical residents and attending surgeons. While this study has certain limitations, burnout levels among students were found to remain consistent throughout medical school, regardless of specialty interest. This suggests increased burnout among surgeons may begin after committing to a surgical specialty rather than reflecting a pre-existing predisposition among preclinical medical students interested in surgery. However, the precise timeline and progression of burnout remain unclear and warrants further investigation. Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Status: Under Review Version 1 posted Reviewers agreed at journal 16 Jul, 2025 Reviewers invited by journal 14 Jul, 2025 Editor invited by journal 13 Jul, 2025 Editor assigned by journal 10 Jul, 2025 First submitted to journal 05 Jul, 2025 You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. 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Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-6951665","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":485426487,"identity":"797b61d3-69d5-416b-ad89-7e4d764936e0","order_by":0,"name":"Raisa Rauf","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAkklEQVRIiWNgGAWjYLCCiooDIMqABC1nzpCs5WwbKVrMZx9+JnFw3p3EBvbmbRJEaZE5l2YmcXDbs8QGnmNlxGmR4GEwk/647XBig0SOGbFa2L9JHJwD1CL/hmgtPECHNYBs4SFeS7HFgWPPjNt40ootiHXYxhsHau7I9rMf3niDKC1wwEaa8lEwCkbBKBgFeAEA4iAt12aYMJoAAAAASUVORK5CYII=","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2778-5309","institution":"Boston University Chobanian \u0026 Avedisian School of Medicine","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Raisa","middleName":"","lastName":"Rauf","suffix":""},{"id":485426488,"identity":"4675dc3a-94b8-4404-9df8-78c9fc83cd68","order_by":1,"name":"Hannah Bard","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Boston University School of Medicine: Boston University Chobanian \u0026 Avedisian School of 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Surgical Education","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false},"keywords":"","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6951665/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-6951665/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eObjectives:\u003c/strong\u003e Burnout is a chronic state of emotional exhaustion from prolonged stress, characterized by fatigue, cynicism, and reduced professional efficacy. Surgery shows higher burnout rates among residents and attendings but whether burnout precedes or results from the field is unclear. This is the first study to compare burnout levels between medical students interested in surgical versus non-surgical fields.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eMethods:\u003c/strong\u003e This study evaluates students at an accredited US medical school. A web-based questionnaire was administered in two parts: career characteristic preferences and burnout assessment using the Maslach Burnout Inventory Student Survey. Students were surveyed at three time points: before second year (pre-M2), after second year (post-M2), and after third year (post-M3). Kruskal-Wallis and Mann Whitney tests were performed to assess statistical differences between students interested in surgical and non-surgical specialties over time and between groups at\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; each timepoint, respectively.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eResults:\u003c/strong\u003e A total of 138 surveys were completed: 53 pre-M2, 50 post-M2, and 35 post-M3. Among these, 44 responses were from the same participants at multiple timepoints. Of the 94 unique participants, 44 were interested in surgical specialties and 50 were interested in non-surgical fields. Significant differences rated on a Likert scale emerged in career priorities between surgical and non-surgical students in personality fit (5.5 vs. 6.2, p=0.001), training length (3.9 vs. 5.1, p\u0026lt;0.0001), work-life balance (5.1 vs. 6.2, p\u0026lt;0.0001), and burnout potential (4.7 vs. 5.5, p=0.005). However, burnout measures showed no significant change over time within or between groups across pre-M2, post-M2, and post-M3 surveys. The only significant difference found was in professional efficacy after the third year (3.4 vs. 4.5, p=0.024) between the two groups.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eConclusion:\u003c/strong\u003e It is established that burnout rates are high among surgical residents and attending surgeons. While this study has certain limitations, burnout levels among students were found to remain consistent throughout medical school, regardless of specialty interest. This suggests increased burnout among surgeons may begin after committing to a surgical specialty rather than reflecting a pre-existing predisposition among preclinical medical students interested in surgery. However, the precise timeline and progression of burnout remain unclear and warrants further investigation.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Burnout Among Medical Students: A Comparison Between Those Interested in Surgical Subspecialties and Non-Surgical Fields","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-07-18 09:29:46","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-6951665/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2025-07-16T05:15:15+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-07-15T00:47:19+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorInvited","content":"Global Surgical Education - Journal of the Association for Surgical Education","date":"2025-07-13T13:20:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-07-10T05:18:00+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Global Surgical Education - Journal of the Association for Surgical Education","date":"2025-07-05T11:55:33+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"global-surgical-education-journal-of-the-association-for-surgical-education","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"GSED","sideBox":"Learn more about [Global Surgical Education - Journal of the Association for Surgical Education](https://link.springer.com/journal/44186)","snPcode":"44186","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/gsed/default1.aspx","title":"Global Surgical Education - Journal of the Association for Surgical Education","twitterHandle":"","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"Springer Hybrid","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":false}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"48e8c5c1-05ba-4bbd-87a0-203edfd1d700","owner":[],"postedDate":"July 18th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"under-review","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-12-16T16:33:10+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-07-18 09:29:46","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-6951665","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-6951665","identity":"rs-6951665","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}