Internship experience and psychological symptoms among Chinese healthcare trainees: evidence from structural equation modeling.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate the pathways linking internship experience to psychological symptoms among Chinese healthcare trainees, with a particular focus on the mediating role of burnout.

METHODS

A single-center cross-sectional survey was conducted among 241 Chinese healthcare trainees at a teaching hospital. Data were collected using a self-developed Internship Experience Scale, the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Student Survey (MBI-SS), and the Symptom Checklist-90 (SCL-90). Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to examine the hypothesized relationships, and mediation effects were tested using bootstrap procedures.

RESULTS

Internship experience was negatively associated with burnout, whereas burnout showed positive associations with anxiety and depression. Anxiety and depression were highly correlated, and mediation analysis confirmed burnout as a significant intermediary linking internship experience and psychological symptoms.

CONCLUSION

This study highlights the critical role of burnout in shaping the mental health outcomes of healthcare trainees, emphasizing the need for supportive educational environments to foster resilience and well-being.