Burnout as a mental health challenge among medical students in pakistan: a qualitative study of its triggers, impacts, and support needs
Saba Khurshid, Shumaila Khurshid, Hafsa Khalil Toor
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Burnout is a growing global concern among medical students, especially in low-resource settings where academic and personal stressors are heightened. Marked by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced performance, it poses serious risks to students’ mental health and future professional roles. This study qualitatively investigates the key contributors, impacts, and support needs related to burnout among medical students in Pakistan. METHODS: A qualitative research design was employed using one focus group discussion (FGD) comprising 12 purposively selected medical students from Rawalpindi and Islamabad who self-reported burnout experiences. Discussions were guided by a semi-structured interview protocol exploring sources of stress, emotional and academic consequences, and perceptions of institutional support. Thematic analysis was conducted using NVivo to identify key patterns and emergent themes. RESULTS: Six major themes emerged as key contributors to burnout: overwhelming academic pressure, extended clinical hours, emotional distress from patient care, inadequate institutional and mental health support, personal and cultural stressors, and uncertainty about future career prospects. Students reported emotional and psychological consequences, including isolation, emotional numbness, reduced motivation, and doubts about their professional future. Importantly, participants expressed the need for accessible, stigma-free mental health services, stronger faculty mentorship, peer support mechanisms, and reforms in academic workload to support well-being. CONCLUSION: Burnout among Pakistani medical students is driven by multifactorial stressors that are both systemic and personal. Comprehensive, stigma-free institutional interventions, including curriculum reform, accessible counseling services, structured peer support, and faculty development, are urgently needed to promote resilience and safeguard the future healthcare workforce.