Job burnout and organizational justice among medical interns in Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

BACKGROUND: New challenges are occurring in the medical education in Mainland China, and the main risk is the loss of excellent physician candidates. This is due to lack of respect; a large, strong labor force; relatively low remuneration; unstable relationships between patients and doctors; pressures from the public media; and the possible existence of organizational injustice within the hospital. The study reported here looked at one of the in-hospital risks, psychological job burnout and organizational justice, to identify the possible internal cause–effect relationship at the two major general hospitals both affiliated to Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine. OBJECTIVE: The aim of the reported study was to analyze the related factors associated with job burnout in Chinese medical interns in Shanghai and to provide some suggestions to better their occupational development. METHODS: A total of 135 medical interns were investigated and assessed by the Organizational Justice Scale and the Maslach Burnout Inventory – General Survey. RESULTS: There was a statistically significant negative correlation between organizational justice and job burnout (r=−0.298, P=0.000), suggesting the existence of job burnout among the participant interns. In particular, emotional exhaustion and cynicism were statistically more significant; the comparison between the N group (from Nanjing) and S group (Shanghai) showed significant difference in participation and reduced professional efficacy (P<0.05), with reduced professional efficacy in N group more significant than in S group, and participation in S group more significant than in N group. CONCLUSION: Job burnout existed among Chinese medical interns, and was associated with fewer complaints and lower professional efficacy. Organizational justice should be promoted more, and school authorities should pay more attention to outside “non-home” interns. Finally, it is essential that the medical interns themselves establish reasonable judgment of their valuable profession.