Adam F Aldhawyan
BACKGROUND Burnout is common among healthcare professionals. This study aimed to assess the prevalence of burnout and its predictors among medical interns in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. MATERIAL AND METHODS This cross-sectional study included medical interns at hospitals in Dammam and Al Khobar. Data were collected between October 2024 and April 2025 using a self-administered online questionnaire that elicited information regarding sociodemographic characteristics, work-related stressors, work-life balance, and job satisfaction. Mental health symptoms were evaluated using the Patient Health Questionnaire-2 and the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2. Burnout was measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey, with burnout defined as high emotional exhaustion (EE), high depersonalization (DP), and low personal accomplishment (PA). RESULTS A total of 117 medical interns participated. The overall prevalence of burnout was 7.7%; interestingly, low PA, high DP, and high EE were reported by 55.6%, 42.7%, and 12.8% of participants, respectively. Poor work-life balance, career-related stress, and low job satisfaction were significantly associated with burnout. Depression and anxiety symptoms were reported in 28.2% and 37.6% of participants, respectively, and were associated with higher EE and DP. Female interns had higher odds of EE, while living alone was associated with higher DP. CONCLUSIONS This study found that in medical interns there was a substantial disconnect between overall burnout prevalence, which was low, and subscale burden, which was high for PA and DP. Future longitudinal studies could determine the reasons for the low overall burnout prevalence, progression from subscale burden to burnout, and interventions targeting identified burnout predictors.