A significant percentage of medical students suffer from anxiety disorders because of the long term effects of stress on emotional and behavioral symptomatology.
[1][2] This condition has become a focus of concern nationally and globally, therefore the first line of detection and defense from stress are the students themselves.
They are required to learn a great deal of new information in a short period of time before taking exams and evaluations.
[5] Situational stressors include inordinate hours, sleep deprivation,[6] excessive workload, overbearing clerical and administrative responsibilities, inadequate support from allied health professionals, a large number of difficult patients, and conditions for learning that are less than optimal.
Other stressors include limited free time to relax or develop new support systems, psycho-social concerns brought by the stress of residency, and inadequate coping skills.
[5] Excessive amounts of stress in medical training predisposes students for difficulties in solving interpersonal conflicts, sleeping disorders, decreased attention, reduced concentration, temptation to cheat on exams, depression, loss of objectivity, increased incidence of errors, and improper behavior such as negligence.
This can cause headaches, gastrointestinal disorders, coronary heart disease, impaired judgments, absenteeism, self-medication, and the consumption of drugs and alcohol.
[8] It is notable that these risks continue throughout training, also affecting resident and attending physicians in addition to medical students, particularly with regard to depressive symptoms.
These symptoms are provoked by long working hours and the tension of completing the courses with good grades.
[14] Stress can cause high levels of the following hormones: norepinephrine, leptin, NPY, nitrite, ACTH and adrenomedullin.
[14] Female students may be disturbed during menstrual cycles because the FSH and LH normal levels changes radically.
[14] An optimal level of stress is considered good because medical students develop coping abilities.
Previous studies have reported that a significant percentage of medical students suffer anxiety disorders because stress has a strong relationship to emotional and behavioral problems.
Irritability and depression are common in students in later semesters, and these mental disturbances increase when examinations start.
[8] Interventions against academic dishonesty such as plagiarism also helps to prevent the risk of stress and depression in medical students.
[13] To address these problems, some medical schools have made changes such as reducing the workweek, instituting curricular reforms such as having shorter classes, less rote memorization, and providing psychological services.
[8] Other stress-management programs provide trainees with coping techniques such as hypnosis, imagery, and muscle relaxation; affiliation with peers, opportunities for emotional expression and intensified relationships with the faculty.
Some propose a scheme of directed and non-directed support groups, relaxation training (including meditation and hypnosis), time-management and coping skills, mindfulness-based stress reduction, and mentoring programs.