Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42296136›Full record

ArticlePloS one2026

Burnout among Syrian medical residents: A cross-sectional study using the burnout assessment tool (BAT).

Mohammad Al-Jawad, Zain Douba, Somayya Tabasho, George Zakhour, Nawal Tijan, Nour Srewell, Lubna Haj Bakour, Layan Sabbagh, Hasan Ashkar, Shahd Almansour and 3 more

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Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

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3 · Its place in the literature

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Mohammad Al-JawadFaculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0002-7633-3541
Zain DoubaDepartment of Hematology, Syrian Ministry of Health, Aleppo, Syria.
Somayya TabashoDepartment of Hematology, Syrian Ministry of Health, Aleppo, Syria.
George ZakhourFaculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
Nawal TijanFaculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
Nour SrewellFaculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0006-3735-7400
Lubna Haj BakourFaculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
Layan SabbaghFaculty of Medicine, University of Aleppo, Aleppo, Syria.
Hasan AshkarFaculty of Medicine, Latakia University, Latakia, Syria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0001-8088-3792
Shahd AlmansourFaculty of medicine, Homs university, Homs, Syria.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2524-5230
Malak A L SalehFaculty of Medicine, Hama university, Hama, Syria.
Abdalrazzak HelaalDepartment of Gastroenterology Central Idleb Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Free Aleppo University, Aleppo, Syria.
Waseem ZakariaDepartment of Internal medicine, Syrian Board of Medical Specialties, Idlib, Syria.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

introductionBurnout syndrome, described by Herbert Freudenberger in 1974, is a psychological condition caused by chronic workplace stress, particularly in healthcare. It is characterized by emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and a reduced sense of achievement. Burnout has become prevalent among healthcare workers, especially physicians and residents, with rates often exceeding 50%. In Syria, ongoing conflict has further stressed the healthcare system, exacerbating burnout among medical residents. This study aims to assess the prevalence and contributing factors of burnout among Syrian medical residents using the Burnout Assessment Tool (BAT), a more precise evaluation tool than traditional measures.

methodsA cross-sectional study was conducted from April 18 to May 1, 2025, among resident physicians in hospitals across six Syrian governorates. Licensed physicians with at least one year of clinical experience were eligible. Data were collected via an online questionnaire (KoboToolbox) assessing demographics, work conditions, burnout symptoms (BAT-23), job satisfaction, coping strategies, and workplace challenges. The minimum required sample size was 373. SPSS v25 was used for analysis. Non-parametric tests were applied due to non-normal data distribution.

resultsA total of 550 medical residents participated, with the majority being female and in their early residency years. Participants primarily worked in governmental hospitals. Using the BAT23, 50% of participants were in the high-risk (Red) zone, with exhaustion being the most prevalent (76.7%). Cognitive impairment and emotional impairment were also common. Specialties like internal medicine and surgery showed higher burnout rates, with factors like workload, training, and work environment strongly linked to burnout. No significant differences were found based on Sex, age, or marital status. DISCUSSION: The BAT provided a comprehensive assessment of burnout, highlighting exhaustion as the main driver, while mental health was less impacted. Mid-level residents (years 2-4) faced the highest burnout rates due to increased responsibilities without senior mentorship. High-stress specialties like internal medicine, surgery, pulmonology, and anesthesia were more vulnerable to burnout. The study underscores the need for systemic reforms, including improved workload distribution, better training, and mental health support.

conclusionThe study reveals high levels of burnout among Syrian medical residents, particularly in exhaustion and cognitive impairment. The highest rates were seen in mid-level residents and high-stress specialties. Structural reforms, such as better work conditions, training, and mental health support, are essential for mitigating burnout and ensuring the sustainability of Syria's healthcare system.

Indexed as

Burnout, ProfessionalEmotional ExhaustionInternship and ResidencyPhysiciansAdultCross-Sectional StudiesFemaleHumansJob SatisfactionMalePrevalenceSurveys and QuestionnairesSyriaWorking Conditions

Identifiers

PMID42296136
PMCPMC13268169

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.