Prevalence and Consequences of Burnout, Anxiety, and Depression Among Medical Students: A Global Perspective
Department of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, An-Najah National University, Nablus, Palestine.
Review
World Journal of Advanced Pharmaceutical and Medical Research, 2025, 09(02), 001–006.
Article DOI: 10.53346/wjapmr.2025.9.2.0036
Publication history:
Received 14 October 2025; revised on 25 November 2025; accepted on 28 November 2025
Abstract:
The prevalence of mental health issues in medical students, such as anxiety, burnout, and depression, has become a worldwide issue of increasing importance. Additionally, the main causative factors of these psychological issues have been driven by the extreme pressure that they face academically. This secondary research analyzes existing studies to assess the prevalence, consequences, and contributing factors of mental health struggles in medical students compared to non-medical students. Findings from different papers indicate that psychological distress negatively affects academic performance, professional development, and career choices, with burnout influencing specialty preferences and diminishing empathy toward patients. Despite the high prevalence, only a small proportion of students seek mental health support, reflecting stigma and insufficient institutional resources. Addressing these challenges requires targeted interventions to create supportive learning environments. By highlighting the widespread impact of unaddressed mental health issues, this study sheds light on the importance of proactive strategies to promote student well-being and ensure the quality of future patient care.
Keywords:
Depression; Suicidal Ideation; Mental Health Challenges; Medical Students; Burnout; Anxiety
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Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0