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Medical students report inadequate mental health support

More than 80% of medical students with mental health issues reportedly felt they had poor or moderately adequate support available to them while attending medical school, according to findings reported in Student BMJ.

A small online survey was sent as an open invitation to Student BMJ readers to assess the health of medical students. Respondents represented approximately 2% of medical students in the United Kingdom.

Of the 1,122 respondents, 30% reported they experienced or received treatment for a mental health condition while in medical school. Of these, 80% reported they felt the level of support available to them was poor or moderately adequate.

Fifteen percent of survey respondents reported that they considered suicide at some point during their time as a student.

“Whether a representative sample or not, these figures are concerning. What is most concerning is that over 80% who have experienced mental distress have found the support they received only moderate or [they] received none at all,” Debbie Cohen, MBBS, DRCOG, MRCGP, AFOM, senior medical research fellow at the University of Cardiff, said.

Cohen added the results of the Student BMJ survey to her own research analyzing the mental health of medical students at Barts and the London School of Medicine and the University of Cardiff.

Seventeen percent of medical students at the two institutions participated in the survey, which showed that 15% of students experienced significant levels of depression and 52% experienced significant levels of anxiety.

High rates of mental illness among medical students may be explained by demanding schedules, according to Matthew Billingsley, editor of the Student BMJ.

“Students often have a relentless timetable of exams as well as having to balance the emotional strain of seeing sick patients and uphold high professional standards,” he said. “The demands of the course can cause an over-competitive environment that can have a detrimental effect on the health of students.”

Student BMJ previously reported an unclear separation between medical school staff with pastoral roles and those who rule on fitness to practice disciplinary issues, which raised concerns about students’ ability to report a problem without it affecting their final marks.

“Students are often too scared that if they disclose a problem it will have a detrimental effect on their exam marks and progression through the course. Often it is not clear to students who the right person to go to is, and if their confidentiality can be assured,” according to Billingsley.

In July, the General Medical Council and the Medical Schools Council updated guidance on supporting medical students with mental health conditions, clarifying that teaching and pastoral roles should be separate.

“Medical schools take the mental wellbeing of their students seriously. The Student BMJ survey highlights key issues and similar concerns have been raised previously,” Iain Cameron, MD, chair of the Medical Schools Council, said. “It is crucial that students who have concerns about their health are able to make this known so that they can be provided with the necessary advice and support.” – by Amanda Oldt

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