Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2019 Aug;16(4):356-361.
doi: 10.1111/tct.13080. Epub 2019 Jul 30.

Exploring well-being: medical students and staff

Victoria Simpson  1 , Laura Halpin  1 , Kirk Chalmers  1 , Viktoria Joynes  1
Affiliations

Exploring well-being: medical students and staff

Victoria Simpson et al. Clin Teach. 2019 Aug.

Abstract

Background: Mental illness in young people is a major public health challenge, with a higher prevalence amongst medical students. This study explores the perspectives of both students and staff in relation to the provision of well-being support within one medical school in the United Kingdom.

Methods: A total of 17 second-year medical students and five members of academic and well-being staff at Liverpool Medical School participated in one-to-one semi-structured interviews. Staff and students were asked for their views on existing support services, exploring challenges and ideas for development. Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed thematically to identify common themes amongst both students and staff.

Results: Students wanted to have more obvious support during their transition from sixth form to undergraduate studies. Perceived stigma surrounding mental health continues to prevent students seeking help over concerns this might have upon academic progress. Staff reported concerns that student expectations did not always match with what could realistically be provided by the medical school well-being service.

Discussion: The provision of opportunities for students to 'check-in' with staff, and the introduction of well-being topics within the curriculum, were perceived by students and staff as being of potential benefit to the mental health of students. Such interventions may also help to build rapport and encourage students to engage with medical school support services. All well-being support services are increasingly in demand amongst medical students, showing a need for them to expand and well-being to be further incorporated into the course.

PubMed Disclaimer

Comment in

References

    1. Billingsley M. More than 80% of med students with mental health issues feel under‐supported. Student BMJ 2015;23:h4521. 01 September 2015. 10.1136/sbmj.h4521 Accessed on 27 March 2019.
    1. General Medical Council and Medical Schools Council . Professional Behaviour and Fitness to Practise: Guidance for Medical Schools and Their Students. Manchester and London: General Medical Council and Medical Schools Council, 2016. Available at https://www.gmc-uk.org/-/media/documents/Professional_behaviour_and_fitn... Accessed on 20 May 2019.
    1. Anuradha R, Dutta R, Dinesh Raja J, Sivaprakasam P, Patil AB. Stress and stressors among medical undergraduate students: a cross‐sectional study in a private medical college in Tamil Nadu. Indian J Community Med 2017;42(4):222–225. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Stankovic S. ‘I cried every day at work’: mental health among doctors is still taboo. The Guardian, 4 July 2017. https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jul/04/mental-health-amon...; Accessed on 27 March 2019.
    1. Sayburn A. Why medical students’ mental health is a taboo subject. Student BMJ 2015;23:h722. 10.1136/sbmj.h722 Accessed on 27 March 2019.