Assessment of Burnout Syndrome in Undergraduate Students of Anaesthesia Technology
Assessment of Burnout Syndrome in Undergraduate Students
Keywords:
Academic efficacy; Anesthesia technology students; Burnout syndrome; Cynicism; Emotional exhaustion; Healthcare education.Abstract
Background: Burnout is an important concern in healthcare education, particularly among students combining intensive academic requirements with clinical training in demanding environments. Evidence specific to undergraduate anesthesia technology students remains limited. Objective: To assess the prevalence and severity of burnout and examine relationships among emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and academic efficacy among undergraduate anesthesia technology students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 124 third- and fourth-year undergraduate anesthesia technology students at The University of Lahore, Pakistan, from January to March 2025. Burnout was assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory–Student Survey. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant characteristics and burnout scores, while Pearson correlation analysis evaluated relationships among burnout dimensions. Results: The mean overall burnout score was 54.29 ± 4.52 (95% CI: 53.49–55.09). Overall, 48 (38.8%) participants were classified as having low burnout, 38 (30.6%) moderate burnout, and 38 (30.6%) high burnout; consequently, 61.3% were within the combined moderate-to-high categories. Emotional exhaustion was strongly positively correlated with cynicism (r = 0.74, p < 0.001). Academic efficacy was inversely correlated with emotional exhaustion (r = −0.60, p < 0.001) and cynicism (r = −0.61, p < 0.001). Conclusion: Moderate-to-high burnout was common among undergraduate anesthesia technology students, with strong interrelationships among emotional exhaustion, cynicism, and academic efficacy. These findings highlight burnout as an important student well-being concern within anesthesia technology education. Keywords: Academic efficacy; Anesthesia technology students; Burnout syndrome; Cynicism; Emotional exhaustion; Healthcare education.
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