scholarly journals Coping with Medical School: An Interpretive Phenomenological Study

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian Shaw ◽  
John Anderson
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Phenomenological Study ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Junior Doctors ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Structured Audio ◽  
Medical Educators

Anecdotal evidence suggested that hopelessness and helplessness (HH) were often reported by undergraduate medical students. It is known that medical students are more susceptible to high levels of stress and depression than other student groups. There is currently concern about suicide rates in students and high drop-out rates in junior doctors. But what can be said of HH within this population? This study was aimed at eliciting medical students’ experiences of HH. An interpretive phenomenological approach was adopted. Participants were recruited from a single medical school. Loosely structured, audio-recorded interviews were carried out. Recordings were then transcribed verbatim, then underwent an interpretive phenomenological analysis. Three participants were recruited. Their stories report some devastating experiences – ranging from social isolation to homelessness and suicidal ideation. Our cases complement the existing literature. Awareness of the issues raised in these cases may help medical educators to better understand and support others in similar situations. These may also benefit those experiencing HH themselves. We hope that this exploratory project paves the way to further study.

scholarly journals Medical students’ experience of the hidden curriculum around primary care careers: a qualitative exploration of reflective diaries

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. e049825
Author(s):  
Ravi Parekh ◽  
Melvyn Mark Jones ◽  
Surinder Singh ◽  
Jack Shi Jie Yuan ◽  
See Chai Carol Chan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Role Models ◽  
Career Choices ◽  
Hidden Curriculum ◽  
Student Perception ◽  
Phenomenological Approach ◽  
Medical Schools ◽  
Junior Doctors ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
The Uk

ObjectivesPrimary healthcare internationally is facing a workforce crisis with fewer junior doctors choosing general practice (GP) as a career. In the UK, a national report on GP careers highlighted adverse influences during medical school on students’ career choices. The authors explored these influences in two urban UK medical schools, both with relatively low numbers of students entering GP training.DesignUsing a phenomenological approach, the authors thematically analysed the reflective diaries of four medical students who were recruited as ‘participant researchers’ over a period of 10 months. These students made regular reflexive notes about their experiences related to GP career perceptions in their academic and personal environments, aiming to capture both positive and negative perceptions of GP careers. The research team discussed emerging data and iteratively explored and developed themes.SettingTwo UK medical schoolsParticipantsUndergraduate medical studentsResultsSeven key themes were identified: the lack of visibility and physicality of GP work, the lack of aspirational GP role models, students’ perceptions of a GP career as default, the performativity of student career choice with the perceptions of success linked to specialism, societal perceptions of GP careers, gender stereotyping of career choices and the student perception of life as a GP.ConclusionsStudents overwhelmingly reflected on negative cues to GP careers, particularly through their experience of the hidden curriculum. Three recommendations are made: the need for increased representation of GP role models in clinical curricula content delivery and senior leadership; ensuring GP clerkships involve an active and authentic student role with patients, enabling students to experience GP’s ‘work’ including managing complexity, uncertainty and risk. Finally, institutions need to consider students’ experiences of the hidden curriculum and the effect this can have on students’ perception of careers, alongside the challenges of rankings and perceived hierarchical positioning of disciplines.

Quantifying empathy levels among UK undergraduate medical students: an online survey

2020 ◽  
Vol 70 (suppl 1) ◽  
pp. bjgp20X711293
Author(s):  
Sarah Garnett ◽  
Hajira Dambha-Miller ◽  
Beth Stuart
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Health Outcomes ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Curriculum Design ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Mental Wellbeing ◽  
Reactivity Index ◽  
Free Text ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Cross Sectional

BackgroundEmpathy is a key health care concept and refers to care that incorporates understanding of patient perspective’s, shared decision making, and consideration of the broader context in which illness is experience. Evidence suggests experiences of doctor empathy correlate with improved health outcomes and patient satisfaction. It has also been linked to job satisfaction, and mental wellbeing for doctors. To date, there is a paucity of evidence on empathy levels among medical students. This is critical to understand given that it is a key point at which perceptions and practices of empathy in the longer term might be formed.AimTo quantify the level of empathy among UK undergraduate medical studentsMethodAn anonymised cross-sectional online survey was distributed to medical students across three universities. The previously validated Davis’s Interpersonal Reactivity Index was used to quantify empathy. The survey also collected information on age, sex, ethnicity, year of medical school training and included a free-text box for ‘any other comments’.ResultsData analysis is currently underway with high response rates. Mean empathy scores by age, sex, year of study and ethnic group are presented. A correlation analysis will examine associations between age and year of study, and mean empathy sores.ConclusionThese data will help to provide a better understanding of empathy levels to inform the provision of future empathy training and medical school curriculum design. Given previous evidence linking experiences of empathy to better health outcomes, the findings may also be significant to future patient care

scholarly journals Rates of Anxiety and Depressive Symptoms among Female Undergraduate Medical Students at National Medical College and Teaching Hospital

2019 ◽  
pp. 171
Author(s):  
Sandesh Sawant ◽  
Garima Tripathi ◽  
Tripti Pal Raman
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Family History ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Anxiety Symptoms ◽  
Drop Out ◽  
Anxiety And Depression ◽  
Female Undergraduate ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
The Mean

<p><strong>Background:</strong> Literature states that Depression and anxiety symptoms carry impairment to medical students, including poor academic performance, drop out, substance abuse and suicide. A high prevalence of anxiety and depression among medical students has been reported worldwide. Higher prevalence is noticed among female students.</p><p><strong>Aim/Objectives: </strong>To study rates of anxiety and depressive symptoms among female undergraduate medical students.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The present study is a cross-sectional study. The purposive sampling method was used. Duration of study was 6 months. A total number of participants’ were 100. Self-developed questionnaire and Hospital Anxiety and Depression scale were used. </p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Findings showed that the mean score of anxiety symptoms was 8.08 (SD± 4.07). Similarly, the mean score of Depressive symptoms was 4.99(SD± 3.28). Fifty-two per cent of the students rated anxiety symptoms and 25% of the student rated depressive symptoms between borderline to the abnormal range. Total 9% of the students reported that they have a family history of mental illness among which 8% reported borderline to an abnormal range of anxiety however 52 % who had no family history also scored the same range. Similarly, 17% of the students reported there were life events which were stressful among which 13% scored borderline to abnormal range anxiety symptoms. Likewise, only 5% of the students scored borderline to the abnormal range of depressive symptoms.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>It was observed that female undergraduate medical students experience both anxiety and depressive symptoms however the percentage of depressive symptoms were less compared to anxiety symptoms. Further studies are required to evaluate the associated factors responsible for depressive and anxiety symptoms.</p>

scholarly journals Depression Among Undergraduate Medical Students

2013 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 56-59 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bibhusan Basnet ◽  
M Jaiswal ◽  
B Adhikari ◽  
PM Shyangwa
Keyword(s):  
Medical Education ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Depression Scale ◽  
Academic Stress ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Prevalence Of Depression ◽  
Inducing Factors ◽  
Major Factors

Background  Psychological stress is common in medical school and associated with depression. Medical education is grooming in Nepal, but only few studies are done concerning mental health of medical students. Objective  To assess the prevalence of depression among medical students at different levels of education and find about their stressors. Methods  A cross sectional, questionnaire-based survey was carried out among the undergraduate medical students of B.P.Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal. 50 students each from Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery (MBBS) first and third year were enrolled in the study conducted between November 2008 to January2009. The depression levels were assessed using Zung depression scale. Students were asked to complete the questionnaire and then the depression levels calculated .The stress inducing factors during their course of medical education were also assessed. Results  The overall prevalence of depression among the students was 29.78 percent. The prevalence of depression in first and third year was 36.74and 22.22 percent respectively. The prevalence of depression was 32.43 percent among female students versus 28.07 percent in male students. Both first and third year students gave high ratings to academic stress and hectic lifestyle as the main stress inducing factors. Conclusion  The prevalence of depression is seen especially in the first year medical students. So, attempts should be made to alleviate the stressors right from the time they join medical school. Since academic stress proved to be one of the major factors, measures to make the academic curriculum more student-friendly are suggested. Kathmandu University Medical Journal | VOL.10 | NO. 3 | ISSUE 39 | JUL- SEP 2012 | Page 56-59 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/kumj.v10i3.8021

Perfectionism

2017 ◽  
pp. 68-91
Author(s):  
Samantha Ilia Smith ◽  
Mitchell Dandignac
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Health And Wellbeing ◽  
Maladaptive Perfectionism ◽  
Medical Educators ◽  
Attention To Detail

Perfectionism is the refusal to accept any standard short of perfect. Perfectionist students might strive for ‘faultless performance, meticulous attention to detail and high levels of competency' (Humphris & Kaney, 1998). In a field as complex and advanced as medicine, faultless performance is unrealistically expected. This chapter will discuss how the rigours of medical school promote perfectionistic behaviours in students. What is perfectionism? How does perfectionism in medical school affect students? How can educators and administrators identify perfectionism, provide psychoeducation, or address maladaptive perfectionism? How can students address perfectionism? It is essential to recognise perfectionism in medical students as research has shown that maladaptive perfectionism has been correlated to physician suicide (Scutti, 2014). The chapter concludes with recommendations on how students and medical educators can employ strategies to promote sound mental health and wellbeing during medical school.

Medical students’ perceptions of nutrition education in Canadian universities

2010 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 336-343 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah M. Gramlich ◽  
Dana Lee Olstad ◽  
Roseanne Nasser ◽  
Laki Goonewardene ◽  
Maitreyi Raman ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
Student Satisfaction ◽  
Nutrition Education ◽  
Nutrient Requirements ◽  
Undergraduate Medical Students ◽  
Canadian Universities ◽  
Survey Response Rate ◽  
Nutrition Instruction

Patients routinely seek physicians’ guidance about diet and the relation between nutrition and the prevention and treatment of disease. However, the adequacy of nutrition instruction in undergraduate medical education is questionable. The purpose of this study was to investigate Canadian medical students’ perceptions of and satisfaction with their education in nutrition. At 9 universities across Canada, a 23-item survey questionnaire was distributed in English and French to undergraduate medical students after at least 8 months of medical school. Overall, 9 of 17 universities participated in the survey, and 933 of the 3267 medical students approached completed the survey (response rate, 28.6%). Mean satisfaction with nutrition instruction received during medical school was 4.7 (±0.06) on a scale of 1–10, where 1 is very dissatisfied and 10 is very satisfied, and there were significant differences among schools (p < 0.0001). Students were comfortable in their ability to counsel patients regarding basic nutrition concepts and the role of nutrition in prevention of disease, but were much less comfortable discussing the role of nutrition in the treatment of disease and nutrient requirements across the lifecycle, and in identifying credible sources of nutrition information. Of the 933 respondents, 87.2% believe that their undergraduate program should dedicate more time to nutrition education. The amount of nutrition instruction correlated with student satisfaction (p < 0.0001), but varied among schools. A significant number of students are dissatisfied with the nutrition education they receive and their ability to provide relevant and appropriate nutrition counselling. This study paves the way for further discussions and development of strategies to improve nutrition education in medical schools in Canada.

Psychiatry in the Medical Curriculum

1985 ◽  
Vol 30 (8) ◽  
pp. 586-592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Philip G. Ney ◽  
Lynda S. Jones
Keyword(s):  
General Practitioner ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Medical School ◽  
General Practitioners ◽  
Medical Curriculum ◽  
School Education ◽  
Student Groups ◽  
Medical School Education ◽  
Remarkable Agreement

When medical students of three universities, house surgeons, general practitioners, psychiatrists, and surgeons were asked in what order would they rank the importance of various subjects in the medical school education of a general practitioner, there is remarkable agreement regarding the first three. In all, 1402 respondents rank medicine, then pediatrics, then psychiatry as most important. There are differences which reflect cultural and curriculum diversity among the student groups. The majority of respondents believe psychiatry should occupy 11% or more of the curriculum.

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