Strategies to Combat Burnout During Intense Studying: Utilization of Medical Student Feedback to Alleviate Burnout in Preparation for a High Stakes Examination
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand medical students’ levels of burnout symptoms and their strategies to combat burnout during the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step 1 study period. Methods: We administered a survey to three cohorts of medical students after th...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Health Professions Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452301120300456 |
| _version_ | 1797965307313127424 |
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| author | Jacob Shreffler Martin Huecker Leslee Martin Susan Sawning Selena Thé M. Ann Shaw Olivia Mittel Amy Holthouser |
| author_facet | Jacob Shreffler Martin Huecker Leslee Martin Susan Sawning Selena Thé M. Ann Shaw Olivia Mittel Amy Holthouser |
| author_sort | Jacob Shreffler |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Purpose: The purpose of this study was to understand medical students’ levels of burnout symptoms and their strategies to combat burnout during the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step 1 study period. Methods: We administered a survey to three cohorts of medical students after they had taken the Step 1 examination. We gauged their perceptions on what worked well while studying including any insight into strategies to alleviate burnout. We used a qualitative approach to describe their experiences. Results: Out of the 477 students surveyed, 370 responded (RR = 77.6%), and we developed 12 key strategies to alleviate burnout during an intense study period: exercise, take days off, limit study hours per day, take breaks, develop support system, dedicate time for fun, eat well, minimize distractors, sleep well, study with others, identify suitable study space(s), and recognize feelings of burnout are normal. We provide further insight into each of these strategies. Discussion: By using these strategies, medical students can minimize levels of burnout and maintain wellness throughout the study period. We believe these strategies could be used not only for medical students, but also in the context of any intensive examination preparation period or for a major research paper such as a dissertation. Research has shown that burnout is real and we as researchers and educators must continue to develop strategies to combat it. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:56:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ed74994cface402b949b07b66601df05 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2452-3011 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-11T01:56:51Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Health Professions Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-ed74994cface402b949b07b66601df052023-01-03T05:03:27ZengKing Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health SciencesHealth Professions Education2452-30112020-09-0163334342Strategies to Combat Burnout During Intense Studying: Utilization of Medical Student Feedback to Alleviate Burnout in Preparation for a High Stakes ExaminationJacob Shreffler0Martin Huecker1Leslee Martin2Susan Sawning3Selena Thé4M. Ann Shaw5Olivia Mittel6Amy Holthouser7Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, USA; Corresponding author. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, 550 South Jackson, Louisville, KY, 40202, USA.Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Louisville School of Medicine, USADepartment of Undergraduate Medical Education, University of Louisville School of Medicine, USADepartment of Undergraduate Medical Education, University of Louisville School of Medicine, USADepartment of Undergraduate Medical Education, University of Louisville School of Medicine, USADepartment of Undergraduate Medical Education, University of Louisville School of Medicine, USADepartment of Undergraduate Medical Education, University of Louisville School of Medicine, USADepartment of Undergraduate Medical Education, University of Louisville School of Medicine, USAPurpose: The purpose of this study was to understand medical students’ levels of burnout symptoms and their strategies to combat burnout during the United States Medical Licensure Examination (USMLE) Step 1 study period. Methods: We administered a survey to three cohorts of medical students after they had taken the Step 1 examination. We gauged their perceptions on what worked well while studying including any insight into strategies to alleviate burnout. We used a qualitative approach to describe their experiences. Results: Out of the 477 students surveyed, 370 responded (RR = 77.6%), and we developed 12 key strategies to alleviate burnout during an intense study period: exercise, take days off, limit study hours per day, take breaks, develop support system, dedicate time for fun, eat well, minimize distractors, sleep well, study with others, identify suitable study space(s), and recognize feelings of burnout are normal. We provide further insight into each of these strategies. Discussion: By using these strategies, medical students can minimize levels of burnout and maintain wellness throughout the study period. We believe these strategies could be used not only for medical students, but also in the context of any intensive examination preparation period or for a major research paper such as a dissertation. Research has shown that burnout is real and we as researchers and educators must continue to develop strategies to combat it.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452301120300456BurnoutWellnessStudyingMedical educationStep 1 |
| spellingShingle | Jacob Shreffler Martin Huecker Leslee Martin Susan Sawning Selena Thé M. Ann Shaw Olivia Mittel Amy Holthouser Strategies to Combat Burnout During Intense Studying: Utilization of Medical Student Feedback to Alleviate Burnout in Preparation for a High Stakes Examination Health Professions Education Burnout Wellness Studying Medical education Step 1 |
| title | Strategies to Combat Burnout During Intense Studying: Utilization of Medical Student Feedback to Alleviate Burnout in Preparation for a High Stakes Examination |
| title_full | Strategies to Combat Burnout During Intense Studying: Utilization of Medical Student Feedback to Alleviate Burnout in Preparation for a High Stakes Examination |
| title_fullStr | Strategies to Combat Burnout During Intense Studying: Utilization of Medical Student Feedback to Alleviate Burnout in Preparation for a High Stakes Examination |
| title_full_unstemmed | Strategies to Combat Burnout During Intense Studying: Utilization of Medical Student Feedback to Alleviate Burnout in Preparation for a High Stakes Examination |
| title_short | Strategies to Combat Burnout During Intense Studying: Utilization of Medical Student Feedback to Alleviate Burnout in Preparation for a High Stakes Examination |
| title_sort | strategies to combat burnout during intense studying utilization of medical student feedback to alleviate burnout in preparation for a high stakes examination |
| topic | Burnout Wellness Studying Medical education Step 1 |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2452301120300456 |
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