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Call for papers - Burnout and mental health in medical education

Guest Editors

Lin-Lin Bu, MD, PhD, Wuhan University, China
Michael Campbell, PhD, The University of the West Indies, Barbados
Maisha Emmanuel, MSc, DM, The University of the West Indies, Barbados
Antonia Rich, MSc, DPsych, University College London, UK

Submission Status: Open   |   Submission Deadline: 8 December 2025

BMC Medical Education invites submissions to our Burnout and mental health in medical education Collection. We welcome submissions that investigate the causes, consequences, and effective interventions related to burnout, with the aim of fostering a healthier educational environment and promoting the well-being of future healthcare professionals.


New Content ItemThis Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Meet the Guest Editors

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Lin-Lin Bu, PhD, Wuhan University, China

Dr Bu is an Associate Professor and Associate Chief Physician at Wuhan University. He has extensive experience in the field of undergraduate and postgraduate medical education. Concurrently, as a surgeon and researcher, his research pursuits encompass the treatment of head and neck cancer and the intricacies of jawbone reconstruction, the exploration of the immunology of head and neck cancer, and the potential of biomimetic drug delivery platforms at the intersection of medicine and engineering.
 

Michael Campbell, PhD, The University of the West Indies, Barbados

Dr Campbell is Senior Lecturer in Behavioral Science and Clinical Psychology, and the Deputy Dean for Research and Graduate Studies in the Faculty of Medical Sciences at the University of the West Indies. He teaches in the psychiatry and family practice residency programs and publishes in the areas of global mental health, psychological measurement, and bioethics. He serves on the Editorial Boards of Geopsychiatry, World Cultural Psychiatry Research Review, and the International Journal of Clinical and Experimental Hypnosis. He is the past president of the Barbados Society of Psychology and a fellow of the American Psychological Association and the British Psychological Society.  
 

Maisha Emmanuel, MSc, DM, The University of the West Indies, Barbados

Dr Emmanuel is an experienced medical educator and psychiatrist, specializing in curriculum development, student mentorship, and clinical training. She has played a key role in psychiatric education at The University of the West Indies, where she is involved in teaching, research, and program development.

Her academic contributions include advancing medical curricula, supervising postgraduate training, and publishing research in forensic psychiatry, mental health, and medical education. She is committed to enhancing psychiatric training, improving student support systems, and fostering evidence-based mental healthcare practices. Dr Emmanuel continues to shape the future of psychiatric education and academic excellence in the Caribbean.
 

Antonia Rich, MSc, DPsych, University College London, UK

Dr Rich is Associate Professor in Medical Education in the Research Department of Medical Education at University College London Medical School. She is a health psychologist and her research focuses on the well-being and mental health of healthcare professionals, particularly medical students and doctors and investigating how the work and learning environment impacts well-being. She is also interested in the broader area of medical education, particularly mixed-methods research to develop and evaluate theory based educational interventions. She serves on the editorial board of BMC Medical Education.

About the Collection

BMC Medical Education is calling for submissions to our Collection on Burnout and mental health in medical education. The pressures of medical education, including long hours, high performance expectations, financial strains, and emotional demands, place students and trainees at increased risk for burnout, depression, and anxiety. Addressing these issues is essential to safeguarding the mental health of future healthcare providers and ensuring the sustainability of the workforce.

This Collection seeks to explore the prevalence, predictors, and consequences of mental health challenges among medical students and trainees, as well as effective interventions and strategies for support. We welcome contributions that provide evidence-based insights and innovative approaches to promote resilience and well-being in medical education.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:

  • Epidemiology and risk factors for burnout, depression, anxiety, and other mental health disorders in medical education
  • Screening tools, diagnostic criteria, and early identification of mental health symptoms
  • Interventions, including counseling programs, mindfulness-based strategies, peer-support networks, and wellness curricula
  • Impact of institutional policies, academic culture, and workload on mental health outcomes
  • Longitudinal studies on mental health trajectories from medical school through residency and beyond
  • The role of mentorship, social support, and faculty development in mitigating distress and fostering resilience
  • Strategies for stigma reduction and improving access to mental health resources
  • Ethical considerations in addressing mental health issues within medical education


By bringing together quantitative and qualitative methods and diverse perspectives, this Collection seeks to drive meaningful change and support the well-being of medical learners.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.

This Collection supports and amplifies research related to SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being.

Image credit: © Bevan Goldswain / Getty Images / iStock

There are currently no articles in this collection.

Submission Guidelines

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This Collection welcomes submission of original Research Articles. Should you wish to submit a different article type, please read our submission guidelines to confirm that type is accepted by the journal. Articles for this Collection should be submitted via our submission system, Snapp. During the submission process you will be asked whether you are submitting to a Collection, please select "Burnout and mental health in medical education" from the dropdown menu.

All manuscripts submitted to this journal, including those submitted to collections and special issues, are assessed in line with our editorial policies and the journal’s peer review process. Reviewers and editors are required to declare competing interests and can be excluded from the peer review process if a competing interest exists.