Dive Brief:
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More than one in four medical students (27.2%) reported depression or depressive symptoms while another 11.1% reported suicidal ideation, according research published Tuesday in JAMA.
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Few students, around 15%, who experienced depression and suicidal ideation sought treatment, according to the authors.
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"The overall prevalence of depressive symptoms among medical students in this study was higher than that reported in the general population, which underscores the need for effective preventive efforts and increased access to care for medical students," the authors concluded.
Dive Insight:
Unfortunately, the research published by JAMA adds to a growing body of evidence there are high rates of mental health issues in the medical community. Last year, another investigation published by JAMA showed similar rates of depression among resident physicians.
The time commitment required of medical students and pressure to perform likely contribute to mental health issues, Mandy Oaklander wrote for Time in an August 2015 article. “This has long been the ordeal of a young doctor: overworked, sleep-deprived and steeped in a culture that demands that you suck it up.”
Mental health issues don’t end when physicians cease training. Physician burnout is a well-documented problem. Dr. Christine Sinsky, vice president of professional satisfaction at the American Medical Association and lead author of a recent study on burnout published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, has found burnout to be concerningly prevalent among U.S. physicians. While burnout affects many American workers (28% of the total population, Sinsky shared), 54% of American physicians are feeling overworked.
The problem also has downstream effects. When physicians are depressed or burned out, more errors could occur.
Unfortunately, there is no simple fix to improving the mental health of medical students and physicians, according to Oaklander.