SummaryAims: Symptoms of burnout are found not only after years of practice in the medical profession but also in the early stages of a medical career -as early as in medical college. Medical studies are considered one of the most stressful majors, leading to early burnout and other related symptoms such as neurotic symptoms. Our aim was to examine this topic by assessing burnout and neurotic symptoms as well as strategies of coping with stress experienced during each year of studies. Method:We used a web-based questionnaire, consisting of the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) and Symptom Checklist S-III, and invited medical students at various stages of a 6-year medical course to fill it in online. Questionnaire was filled by 781 students in total.Results: Statistical analysis revealed an interesting pattern of symptoms severity in students, with highest scores at the beginning and at the end of the medical course and the lowest score during the 3rd year of studies. This pattern was clearly visible for MBI-SS Exhaustion, and somewhat less pronounced for MBI-SS Cynicism and S-III scores, where only the decrease of symptoms was significant. Coping strategies seemed to be similar for all medical students with a higher score for the Distraction scale among the 3rd -year students compared with the 2nd-year students.Discussion: These results, however unexpected, seem to be consistent with available literature, emphasizing higher levels of stress experienced during great changes regarding expectations in students at the beginning of their course and in soon-to-be doctors. Conclusions:The results prompt to reflect on ways of countering emerging symptoms of burnout not only in experienced students, but also among those starting medical college.burnout/stress/neurotic symptoms/students/medical course.

IntroductionMedical studies are considered one of the most stressful majors and the medical profession is one of the most at risk of burnout. Some studies indicate the presence of symptoms of burnout already in the early stages of career, or even before it started, i.e. during studies preparing for the profession. Medical studies may be such a case and it can affect the mental health deterioration and cause the occurrence of both burnout and neurotic symptoms.ObjectivesAssessment of the impact of the course of studies on mental health of students and the risk of rapid burnout.AimEstimation of the prevalence and severity of burnout and neurotic symptoms among medical student depending on the year of study.MethodsSeven hundred and eighty-one medical students participated in the study. We used translated version of Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey and Polish questionnaire – Symptom checklist S-III – for neurotic symptoms assessment.ResultsThere was no significant difference in MBI-SS subscales and symptoms checklist between first and last year of studies. Difference turned out to be significant when 1st and 6th year students with 3rd year – in Symptom checklist (P < 0.01 and P < 0.05, respectively), MBI-SS emotional exhaustion subscale (P < 0.01 for both) and depersonalization subscale (P < 0.01, significant only when compared with 1st year students).ConclusionsStudy revealed interesting pattern of burnout and neurotic symptoms, with theirs greatest severity at the beginning and the end of studies.Disclosure of interestThe authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.