Effects of Spiritual and Religious Practices on Burnout and Academic Stress Among Undergraduate Medical Students: Protocol for a Scoping Review.

Abstract

Background: Burnout is increasingly recognized as a critical concern in medical education due to its associations with reduced professional performance, decreased empathy, and increased risk of medical errors. With growing evidence that medical students commonly experience burnout and its associated health consequences (eg, depression and suicide), it is essential to explore factors that may protect against its harmful effects on student well-being. Although spirituality is often considered a potential factor supporting mental health and resilience, its role in buffering burnout among medical students has not been comprehensively reviewed.

Objective: This scoping review seeks to map the extent, range, and characteristics of the literature examining the relationship between spirituality and burnout and defined forms of stress among medical students. Specifically, the review will (1) describe the nature and direction of reported associations and (2) identify gaps to inform priorities for future research.

Methods: This scoping review followed PRISMA-ScR (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews) guidelines to ensure a systematic and transparent process. Studies that examined the relationship between spirituality and burnout or related outcomes and correlates, such as anxiety, depression, stress, or suicidality, among undergraduate medical students were eligible. Only studies that focused specifically on medical students rather than other health care professionals or professional students were eligible. Eligible articles were peer-reviewed and published in English. MEDLINE (PubMed), APA PsycInfo, Scopus, and Embase databases were searched. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts, followed by full-text review to determine final inclusion. Discrepancies were resolved through discussion with a third reviewer until consensus was reached. Extracted data were descriptively analyzed and summarized in charts and tables and synthesized narratively according to the review questions.

Results: The database searches were completed in July 2025 and yielded 1788 records. Screening was conducted from September 2025 through January 2026. Of the database records 39 (2.2%) peer-reviewed studies met the inclusion criteria. During full-text screening, articles were most frequently excluded because they did not explicitly evaluate the association between spirituality and burnout, represented an ineligible publication type, or included populations beyond undergraduate medical students without reporting separate results for medical students. Data extraction was completed in April 2026. The manuscript reporting results was completed in May 2026 and is under review as of September 2026.

Conclusions: This review will provide a comprehensive overview of how spirituality and religious practices have been examined in relation to burnout and stress among undergraduate medical students. By mapping conceptualizations and experiences of spirituality within medical training, as well as varying patterns in how these practices relate to student well-being, this review highlights key gaps in the evidence and directions for future research on factors that may support medical student mental health.

Trial registration: OSF Registries osf.io/tqwsk; https://osf.io/tqwsk.

International registered report identifier (irrid): DERR1-10.2196/88915.