A National Perspective: Integrating Medical Humanities to Address Burnout and Stress in Chinese Medical Education

Abstract Background The significance of issues in medical humanities, such as empathy, professionalism, patient-orientation, disclosure of harms, and communication skills, has been widely acknowledged in previous studies. While these studies have showcased the impact of individual facets of medical humanities on clinical practice, there exists a dearth of comprehensive assessments that encompass these constructs and their relationship with burnout and distress among medical students. This study aims to fill these gaps by exploring Chinese medical students’ overall perceptions of medical humanities across different educational phases and shedding light on the intricate associations between perceptions of humanities, burnout, and stress. Methods We conducted a nationwide survey using a web-based questionnaire across 38 Chinese universities. The survey was administered using the snowball sampling method, with the data collection period running from September 8, 2022, to September 22, 2023. Participants included a national sample of 904 students (out of a total of 969) enrolled in medical schools. Results The student’s perception of medical humanities were significantly influenced by several factors: years of medical school education (β = − .077; P = .045), work burnout (β = − .208; P < .001), and perceived stress (β = − .467; P < .001). Work burnout was impacted by clinical clerkship experience (β = .106; P = .001), whereas perceived stress was influenced by the number of years in medical school (β = 0.102; P = .002). Additionally, work burnout acts as an intermediate variable between clinical clerkship experience and students’ perception of medical humanities. Conclusion This study illuminated the complex relationship between medical education, burnout, stress, and students' perception of medical humanities issues. It underscores the critical importance of balancing technical proficiency with humanistic values in medical training. Implementing strategies that support students' well-being and foster empathy is essential in nurturing a compassionate and effective healthcare workforce.