Professional knowledge complements general technology acceptance in mathematics teachers' critical behavioral intention toward AI.

The practice of medicine can be meaningful and fulfilling, but it is also often accompanied by high demands and chronic stress. Globally, approximately one in three medical doctors experiences burnout at any given time. The term burnout was coined in 1974 by Freudenberger, who defined it as ‘a state of mental and physical exhaustion caused by one’s professional life’. This state of exhaustion undermines physicians’ well-being, contributing to strained personal relationships, substance use disorders and suicidality. Professionally, burnout adversely impacts doctor-patient relationships, reducing patient satisfaction, leading to poorer quality of care and an increased risk of medical errors. These consequences may further drive institutional challenges such as malpractice claims and resource strain, perpetuating a cycle of stress and exhaustion within healthcare systems. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic further intensified these pressures, with heightened workloads and emotional demands contributing to increased levels of burnout across the medical fraternity. Burnout is of particular concern in the South African healthcare setting, where limited resources, long working hours, compulsory overtime and restricted leave exacerbate stress among doctors. Studies have reported high rates of burnout across the continuum of medical training and early clinical practice in South Africa, including among medical students, community service doctors, medical officers and registrars. However, little is known about burnout during the internship period, a compulsory 2-year rotation through various medical disciplines undertaken by newly qualified doctors. This transitional stage bridges undergraduate training and independent clinical practice; burnout during internship may therefore have long-term implications for professional development and patient care. Empathy is closely linked to the practice of medicine and may both influence and be influenced by burnout. Empathy has been described as a predominantly cognitive attribute involving understanding patients’ experiences, concerns and perspectives, coupled with the ability to communicate this understanding and the intention to help. It encompasses cognitive empathy (understanding the emotional state of the patient) and affective empathy (experiencing an emotional response to the feelings of others). Empathy is central to building trust, enhancing patient satisfaction and improving clinical outcomes. For example, studies showed that physicians who had higher empathy scores, as measured by the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Professions (JSE-HP), achieved better control of chronic conditions such as diabetes and had patients with fewer complications and hospitalisations. Similarly, medical students with higher empathy scores were rated higher for their clinical competence.