Association between Grit and Burnout among Clinical Medical Students

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between grit and burnout among clinical medical students. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted between December 2023 and January 2024 at the Chonburi Medical Education Center. Data from 106 clinical medical students were gathered using the 8-item Short Grit scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory General Survey. Descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and logistic regression were used to analyze the data. Results: Among the 106 clinical medical students, 52.8% met the criteria for burnout syndrome. 44.3% had high levels of emotional exhaustion and 32.1% had high levels of depersonalization. However, most of these medical students had moderate levels of total grit, passion, and perseverance. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that total grit and perseverance scores were negatively correlated with emotional exhaustion and positively correlated with personal accomplishments. Further analysis using multivariate logistic regression revealed that burnout syndrome in clinical medical students was significantly associated with high-demand ward responsibility (AOR 3.189, p = 0.012) and low levels of total grit (AOR 7.147, p = 0.023). Conclusion: Burnout is prevalent among clinical medical students, particularly among those with high-demand ward responsibilities and low grit levels. Higher grit, especially perseverance, is associated with reduced emotional exhaustion and greater personal accomplishments. Enhancing grit may help mitigate burnout among this population.