Meditation as an intervention strategy to decrease the impact of burnout on the cognitive functions of medical students: a scoping review

Introduction: The prevalence of burnout in the early years of medical training is a cause for concern and can negatively impact the learning and academic development of students. Meditation has been shown to be a set of techniques with the potential to reduce stress levels, improve attention and memory, and promote psychological well-being. Objective: This study aims to analyze the current state of literature regarding the impact of meditation-based interventions on cognitive functions in medical students affected by burnout. Method: A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines, examining studies found in PubMed and Scopus, which resulted in a total of 41 records. Results: The studies indicate that burnout levels are established early in medical training. Although the literature reports impairments in cognitive functions such as attention, working memory, and executive functions, there is limited evidence regarding the impact on medical training itself. Conclusion: Meditation shows promise in controlling both burnout and cognitive functions; however, a greater number of studies and a systematic review of the evidence are needed to obtain conclusive results for medical students.