MENTAL HEALTH OF MEDICAL STUDENTS

Mental health struggles come from various causes and have different signs.

“Medical students report higher levels of psychological distress than their same-age peers, despite having similar or healthier profiles than peers at the outset of medical school,” according to a 2018 studyTrusted Source.

The study cited various stressors for medical students, such as:

academic stress

issues with work-life balance

relationship conflicts

poor student guidance or support

volume of information

finances

uncertainty about the future

lack of time to oneself

responsibility

the need to be successful

Medical students’ common mental health challenges include:

anxiety

depression

burnout

How mental health challenges manifest in medical students can vary by individual.

Depression during medical school was already common — and then came the pandemic.

Options for medical students to seek help include:

speaking with a private therapist

consulting with a primary care physician

seeking a counselor through the school’s student health services

talking with a trusted colleague or faculty member

confiding in a family member or friends.

https://psychcentral.com/health/medical-students-are-facing-serious-mental-health-issues#covid-19