A preliminary study of stress levels among first year medical students at the University of Zimbabwe.

Abstract

This study has demonstrated that a number of first year medical students of the University of Zimbabwe were at various levels of stress and/or depression. Those students in the extreme stress or depression group need serious attention. This state of psychological and emotional distress in the subsequent years of medical training and during the professional years may lead to serious social consequences. A system of identifying students with low stress threshold early in their training is recommended as well as a means of helping them to deal with the stress and its causes.