Prevalence and Associated Factors of Burnout Among Saudi Resident Doctors: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study

Background: Burnout is a prevalent psychological state among resident doctors. This study aimed at assessing the prevalence and associated factors of burnout among resident medical doctors in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 426 resident doctors in Medina city, Saudi Arabia. We used the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey (MBI-HSS) to measure this phenomenon.

Results: Of the participants, 81.22% scored high on at least one subscale of burnout and 18.31% scored high on all the subscales of burnout. Burnout was related to lack of physical exercise ( < .001), level of training < .001), number of on-call shifts per month ( = .020), number of weekends on-call per month < .050), number of patients seen per day ( = .002), number of clinics per week ( < .001), satisfaction with work-life balance ( < .001), and sources of stress in the workplace ( < .050).

Conclusion: Burnout is present among resident doctors at a relatively high rate. Numerous factors associated with burnout were evident, particularly work-related factors and sources of stress in the workplace. Therefore, the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties and the residency program directors should act to improve working conditions and work-life balance, and minimize the impact of stressors in the workplace, to minimize the consequences of burnout among resident doctors. Provisions could be enacted to implement early comprehensive assessments of burnout syndrome among medical residents for early detection to curb the burnout phenomenon within healthcare systems.