Levels and sources of stress in medical students.

TLDR

Medical student stress is recognized as a significant issue requiring mitigation. Stress levels were measured in 318 fourth‑year UK medical students using the General Health Questionnaire. The study found that fourth‑year UK medical students had higher stress scores than the general population, with a 31.2 % prevalence of emotional disturbance comparable to US students, no sex differences, 4 % reporting high alcohol intake, nearly half increasing consumption, and the most common stressors being interactions with psychiatric patients, personal life impacts, case presentations, and dealing with death, with consultant relationships identified as the most stressful by 34 % of students.

Abstract

Levels of stress, as measured by the general health questionnaire, were assessed in 318 medical students in their fourth year at three British universities. Mean scores were higher than those in other groups within the general population, and the estimated prevalence of emotional disturbance was 31.2%, a proportion similar to that reported in medical students in the United States. There were no differences in prevalence or in mean scores of stress between the sexes. Twelve (4%) students reported high intake of alcohol, and almost half of the students had increased their intake in the past two years. The four categories most commonly cited in answers to an open ended question on recent stressful events were talking to psychiatric patients, effects on personal life, presenting cases, and dealing with death and suffering. Relationships with consultants raised the strongest negative feelings, with 102 (34%) students finding these particularly stressful. Stress among medical students should be acknowledged and attempts made to alleviate it.