Date Posted: July 24, 2026

Author/s: Celia R. Ravelo, MD, FPPS; Harvie Tan, Jose Gabriel Nicolas Javier, Rechelle Kaye Lantajo, Roni Margaret Licup, Hans Vincent Earl Lopez, Nathaniel Macadangdang, Erica Joy Mendegorin, Lalaine Nadulpit, Kimberley Lorraine T. Olaso, Jana M. Panaligan, Jezzelwyne Pascua, Clarence Mae H. Quan, Izabella Irah Ramos, Rianne Danielle H. Reyes, Dana Angela Roperez, Ma. Sofia Ayeza Santiago, Hannah Faith Silva, Christian Ariel Silvela, Jermyn Clariz Tolentino, Tirso Velasquez and Joyce Ann Louelle S. Vital

Objective: Grit and resilience are psychological traits that affect the stress and burnout of most medical students. This study aimed to determine the predictive relationship between grit and resilience with burnout among medical students. It was hypothesized that an increase of grit and resilience would show a decrease in burnout.

Methods: This is an analytic cross-sectional study of relationship between grit, resilience, and burnout among 149 enrollees (30 1st-year, 70 2nd-year, 34 3rd-year, and 15 4th-year) medical students of Far Eastern University – Dr. Nicanor Reyes Medical Foundation. Data were collected through a selfadministered online questionnaire consisting of Short Grit Scale (Grit-S), Maslach Burnout Inventory– Student Survey (MBI-SS), and Connor–Davidson Resilience Scale–10 (CD-RISC-10). Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the effects of grit and resilience on burnout among regular students, with stratified analysis for midyear students.

Results: Grit and resilience showed moderate levels among 149 medical students, while burnout was high. The model was significantly revealed by the regression analysis. Burnout was reduced significantly by grit, whereas resilience showed a significant positive association. No interaction effect was found, and academic workload was not significantly associated with burnout.

Conclusions: Grit and resilience are significant but modest predictors of burnout among medical students, with grit showing a protective effect while resilience shows a complex positive association. These findings imply that interventions should concentrate on strengthening grit to reduce burnout. The limited explanatory power highlights the need to address additional factors such as workload, mental health, and support systems. Future research should explore broader determinants to better inform targeted strategies for refining student well-being and preventing burnout.

Keywords: Grit, resilience, burnout, medical students, cross-sectional