TY - JOUR
T1 - Medical student distress
T2 - Causes, consequences, and proposed solutions
AU - Dyrbye, Liselotte N.
AU - Thomas, Matthew R.
AU - Shanafelt, Tait D.
PY - 2005/12
Y1 - 2005/12
N2 - The goal of medical education is to graduate knowledgeable, skilful, and professional physicians. The medical school curriculum has been developed to accomplish these ambitions; however, some aspects of training may have unintended negative effects on medical students' mental and emotional health that can undermine these values. Studies suggest that mental health worsens after students begin medical school and remains poor throughout training. On a personal level, this distress can contribute to substance abuse, broken relationships, suicide, and attrition from the profession. On a professional level, studies suggest that student distress contributes to cynicism and sybsequently may affect students' care of patients, relationship with faculty, and ultimately the culture of the medical profession. In this article, we review the manifestations and causes of student distress, its potential adverse personal and professional consequences, and proposed Institutional approaches to decrease student distress.
AB - The goal of medical education is to graduate knowledgeable, skilful, and professional physicians. The medical school curriculum has been developed to accomplish these ambitions; however, some aspects of training may have unintended negative effects on medical students' mental and emotional health that can undermine these values. Studies suggest that mental health worsens after students begin medical school and remains poor throughout training. On a personal level, this distress can contribute to substance abuse, broken relationships, suicide, and attrition from the profession. On a professional level, studies suggest that student distress contributes to cynicism and sybsequently may affect students' care of patients, relationship with faculty, and ultimately the culture of the medical profession. In this article, we review the manifestations and causes of student distress, its potential adverse personal and professional consequences, and proposed Institutional approaches to decrease student distress.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=28544451221&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=28544451221&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.4065/80.12.1613
DO - 10.4065/80.12.1613
M3 - Article
C2 - 16342655
AN - SCOPUS:28544451221
SN - 0025-6196
VL - 80
SP - 1613
EP - 1622
JO - Mayo Clinic proceedings
JF - Mayo Clinic proceedings
IS - 12
ER -