Gender Differences in Medical Students' Experience of Burnout, Perceived Stress, and Empathic Concern. (October 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Worly, Brett; Verbeck, Nicole; Walker, Curt; Clinchot, Dan; Keder, Lisa; Steinauer, Jodi
• Is Part Of: Obstetrics and gynecology. Volume 130(2017)Supplement 1
• Publication Date: 2017-10
• Subjects: Obstetrics -- Periodicals; Gynecology -- Periodicals; 618
• DOI: 10.1097/01.AOG.0000525777.75605.4e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0029-7844

Abstract

Abstract : OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differences in burnout, empathy, and perceived stress between genders in 3rd-year medical students. METHODS: This is an IRB-approved, cross-sectional study of 657 3rd-year medical students who attended medical school from 2008 to 2014. Students responded to a Learning Environment Student Survey which included the Maslach Burnout Inventory- Student Scale (MBI-SS), Interpersonal Reactivity Index (IRI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) items. These primary outcomes were compared between gender with independent sample t tests. Secondary outcomes, including the MBI-SS subscales of emotional exhaustion, professional efficacy, and cynicism; IRI subscales of fantasy, perspective taking, and empathic concern; and personal distress were evaluated with equal variances using Levene's Test for Equality of Variances. Multivariate analysis with two-way ANOVA was also performed. RESULTS: Females were more likely to have higher (IRI) empathic concern (21.0±3.9 versus 19.1±4.1, P <.001), but reported more (IRI) personal distress (8.9±4.3 versus 7.6±3.8, P <.001), (MBI-SS) emotional exhaustion (15.3±5.8 versus 14.4±5.9, P <.05), and (PSS) perceived stress (17.1±6.2 versus 15.2±6.6, P <.001). Males were more likely to have (MBI-SS) cynicism (8.6±4.9 versus 7.7±4.4, P =.03) and lower (MBI-SS) professional efficacy (11.5±4.9 versus 12.4±4.9, P =.03). No interactions between age, ethnicity, or gender were found on multivariate analysis. CONCLUSION: Although male and female 3rd-year medical students experience burnout, empathy, and perceived stress in a statistically different fashion, the measures between the groups were similar. Medical student support program design does not need to be redesigned based on gender.