[Suicide in medical students: case series]

Abstract

Background: Suicide rates of male and female physicians are about 3-5 times higher compared with the general public. Detailed studies about medical student suicides in the United States exist but similar current data from German speaking countries are lacking.

Methods: In this study suicide among medical students in Germany, Austria and Switzerland was analyzed using Medline and Google search engines and information from insurance companies, public institutions, statistical agencies and leading scientists in Germany, Austria and Switzerland was requested. The incidence of suicide among medical students at the Medical University of Innsbruck was also examined.

Results: In publications from German speaking countries some medical student suicides are mentioned but current statistics were not available. Between 2006 and 2011 the Tyrolean State Police in Austria registered 14 suicides by students of all disciplines. At Innsbruck Medical University (approximately 2,800 medical students) it was found that 6 medical students committed suicide between June 2007 and June 2012 (rate 36 per 100,000).

Conclusions: The suicide risk of medical students at the Medical University of Innsbruck appears to be increased. Because of a lack of comparable data it is not possible to show whether these observations can be extrapolated to other universities. It appears that there was no single special event which triggered suicide by the medical students but a combination of individual risk factors and the environment was involved. However, this problem receives insufficient attention.