Over on KevinMD, a medical student today shares his thoughts on students suffering from depression or other mental illness, and his concerns that medical schools aren't doing enough to help them. He writes:
Med schools have gotten better at fostering the welfare of their students, but more can be done. Although I’ve only been here for less than a year, there have been times when I’ve felt alone or let the pressure and stress of school get to me. I’m lucky to have close friends whom I can talk to, which, I think, is a great way to address mental health issues. I especially admired a classmate of mine when he shared in tutorial that he suffered from depression in college. It definitely did not make me see him in a lesser light, but rather I felt a strange sense of connection with him.
His concerns are valid: In a recent JAMA study, one in seven medical students reported having moderate or severe depression. And many expressed relunctance to seek help - in part because of the stigma associated with depression and the use of mental health care services.
Previously: A closer look at depression and distress among medical students
