Burnout Levels and Related Factors among Research Assistants Working at Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine Hospital

The aim of this study was to evaluate the burnout levels and factors that may be related to burnout in research assistants who are receiving specialty training in a medical faculty hospital and to shed light on the measures to be taken to overcome burnout in healthcare workers based on the data obtained. The research was conducted at Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine Hospital between May and September 2019. A total of 263 research assistants receiving specialty training in internal and surgical medical sciences at Sivas Cumhuriyet University Faculty of Medicine were included in the study. Sampling was not planned and it was aimed to reach the entire population. However, 36 of them were excluded due to refusal to participate in the study or being on leave or on medical report, and 227 medical specialty students were included in the study. The data collection tool of the research assistants consisted of two parts, the Personal Information Form, which included questions about sociodemographic characteristics and occupational characteristics, and the Maslach Burnout Scale, and the questionnaire was applied face-to-face to the participants. Data analysis was performed in SPSS statistics 21.0 program. Statistical significance level p<0.05 was taken in the analysis. While 75.8% of the research assistants were in the 26-30 age group, 17.6% were over 31 years of age. Of the participants, 55.1% were female and 44.9% were male. 34.42% of the participants were trained in surgical sciences and 65.6% in internal sciences. The mean overall burnout (GT) score of the participants in our study was 40.1± 12.8. When we look at the subscale scores, the arithmetic mean of Emotional Burnout (EOS) score is 17.8± 7.0. The arithmetic mean of Depersonalization (D) score is 7.9± 3.8. The arithmetic mean of Personal Accomplishment (PA) score is 14.2± 4.5. There is a significant difference (p<0.05) between burnout levels according to age, gender, marital status, having children, postponing the thought of having children until after specialization, field of specialization, specialization score, salary, academic studies, having sleep problems, antidepressant use, smoking, having a hobby and basic problems. Burnout levels of research assistants in specialty training are affected by sociodemographic characteristics, specialty area, voluntary choice of specialty area, working conditions and environmental factors. It is important to recognize the causes of burnout in physicians in order to take necessary measures against these factors.