Improving Medical Students’ Wellbeing

Improving Medical Students’ Wellbeing

Medical students have been shown to experience poor levels of wellbeing compared with their peers. Rates of stress, depression and mental health issues are too high.

“This is a really important area that we are determined to improve. The wellbeing of students – our future doctors – ultimately impacts on the wellbeing of the patients they care for,” said Liz Carr, President of the New Zealand Medical Students’ Association (NZMSA).

A study released today has suggested that support services available to medical students are limited, during what is an intensive and often challenging course. It also suggests that the effective teaching of wellbeing is often left out of the medical school curriculum.

“The wellbeing of student doctors and doctors alike is important. Many stressors that doctors face commence in medical school. Consequently this is where coping strategies develop as well. You can’t be confident in caring for patients if you have not looked after your own health and wellbeing,” said Dr William Perry, one of the study’s authors.

The NZMSA and their Australian counterparts have teamed up to address this topic. They advocate for greater acknowledgment of the stresses and strains of medical school, better provision of support services, and greater curriculum integration.

“We want to ensure students know it is alright to be stressed occasionally, but also to know when and how to access support if they need it. This study gives us a launching pad to help medical schools optimize their approach to student wellbeing,” said Miss Carr.

ENDS