Factors Contributing to Burnout and Well-Being in Physical Therapist Students

Abstract

Introduction.Burnout is a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. Prevention and management of burnout in the doctor of physical therapy (DPT) student population may help reduce the development of burnout later in their work life.Review of Literature.Few published studies assessing burnout have been conducted with physical therapist students. In studies with medical and nursing students, individual factors that influence the development of burnout include reduced level of physical activity, reduced level of social support, not experiencing positive life events, increased fatigue, increased stress, and decreased resilience. Environmental factors that influence the development of burnout include grading scheme and perceptions of the learning environment.Subjects.Participants included 20 DPT students from across the United States.Method.A total of 522 students from a previous study who volunteered for the present grounded theory qualitative study were stratified by burnout group (burnout and nonburnout) and geographic region. Once stratified, students were randomized and then contacted through email to set up an interview time to participate in a Zoom audio interview. A total of 20 semistructured interviews were completed ranging from 20 to 40 minutes.Results.Three major themes emerged from the data, each with 3 subthemes. The major themes included burnout experience, factors that negatively affected well-being, and factors that positively affected well-being.Discussion and Conclusion.The results of this study indicate that DPT students experienced burnout as a combination of exhaustion, disengagement, and chronic overload. Factors that negatively affected well-being while in DPT school included unmanageable stress, an excessive workload, and time pressures. Factors that positively affected well-being while in DPT school included prioritizing time, support from faculty, friends, and family, and self-awareness.

A Comparison of Physical Therapist Educational Outcomes Before and During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Multicenter Study

“…e impacts of an inability to properly manage stress, anxiety, and concentration on educational outcomes have been well established. [26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37]64 It is plausible that these graduates may be influenced by the increased hardships of the pandemic, including stress, anxiety, and burnout. 62,64 Yet, it is unclear if the increased likelihood of failure in this sample is directly related to circumstances caused by the pandemic.…”

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8] Studies have shown that health professional students experienced a wide array of adverse ramifications during the pandemic. [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34] Findings show that the pandemic influenced levels of psychosocial and economic hardships. [21][22][23][24][25][26] Specifically, research indicates that DPT students withstood increased stress, burnout, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, decreased quality of life, financial hardship, lower program satisfaction, and sleep disturbances.…”

“…[21][22][23][24][25][26] Specifically, research indicates that DPT students withstood increased stress, burnout, fatigue, anxiety, and depression, decreased quality of life, financial hardship, lower program satisfaction, and sleep disturbances. 6,[21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] Some of these effects may have been related to campus shutdowns and the rapid transition to fully online learning. 3,[21][22][23] Yet, even before the pandemic, the impacts of stress, anxiety, and burnout on student academic performance were well-established in the literature.…”

“…[35][36][37] Increased levels of stress and anxiety in graduate students can lead to burnout and depression, which may subsequently have deleterious effects on academic performance. [28][29][30] us, the "unprecedented upheaval" 23 caused by the pandemic could have exacerbated the challenges associated with learning. 8,20,21,31 ere is firm evidence supporting the effectiveness of online learning in health professional students, yet findings are the result of decades of research before the pandemic.…”

Standing on the Shoulders of Giants—Remembering Katherine Shepard PT, PhD, FAPTA, and Samuel Feitelberg PT, MA, FAPTA

“…The first is the Feitelberg Journal Founders' Award, created by Samuel Feitelberg, PT, MA, FAPTA, which acknowledges excellence in publication by a first-time first author in JoPTE . In 2022, the award was given to Smith et al 1 for their paper “Factors Contributing to Burnout and Well-Being in Physical Therapist Students.” The second award is the Stanford Award created by Katherine Shepard, PT, PhD, FAPTA, in honor of her former faculty colleagues at Stanford University to recognize the authors of a manuscript containing the most influential educational ideas published in JoPTE for the calendar year. Last year, this award was given to Dr. Gail Jensen, Dr. Diane U Jette, Dr. Jean Fitzpatrick Timmerberg, Dr. Steven B. Chesbro, Dr. Robin Dole, Dr. Zoher Kapasi, and Dr. Ana Lotshaw for their paper “Competency-Based Education in Physical Therapy: Developing a Framework for Education.” 2 As we mourn the passing of both Sam Feitelberg and Kay Shepard this year, I asked Laurita Hack PT, PhD, MBA, FAPTA, and Gail Jensen PT, PhD, FAPTA, to share a few stories about their friends and colleagues, so that we can honor their legacies.…”