The Darker Side Of Medical School

There's no denying medical school is rigorous and challenging. In a recent article for The Washington Post, Nathaniel Morris, MD, addresses the darker side of medical school and the stigmatization of mental health issues among students.



Stories of medical student suicides are becoming more and more common. Within the last two years, medical students from Los Angeles-based University of Southern California, the University of California at San Diego and Boston-based Harvard Medical School have taken their own lives. A 2008 study found that approximately 10 percent of medical students in 2007 reported thoughts of suicide and research from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention found that medical students experience depression rates 15 to 30 percent greater than those of the general population.

But why? Dr. Morris attributes the reason to several underlying causes.

1. Academic competition. Medical schools are extremely selective. In 2015, Rochester, Minn.-based Mayo Medical School had an acceptance rate of 1.8 percent. "By screening for the best and the brightest, these institutions can serve as breeding grounds for competition and feelings of inadequacy," Dr. Morris wrote.

2. Engrossment in stressful environment. "Immersing oneself in human suffering each day can leave its mark," Dr. Morris wrote. While in medical school, students confront the most complicated aspects of humanity by spending time with sick and dying patients.

3. Hierarchy. A recent study showed that in 2011, more than 80 percent of medical students said they were mistreated by their supervisors. Medical students are at the bottom of the totem pole and they're often looked down upon by senior clinicians.

4. Debt. October 2015 data from the Association of American Medical Colleges shows that 81 percent of medical students had debt to pay off after graduation. The average amount of debt medical students owed was approximately $181,000, according to the AAMC.

Medical schools are stepping up to the plate to confront the issue. By implementing pass-fail grading systems,team-based learning techniques and wellness programs, schools are taking the lead in addressing leading stress issues among students. But is it enough?

Dr. Morris claims "[one part of] medical school culture [is] especially hard to overcome: the stigma of mental illness." Many students are afraid to speak up about their mental health struggles and worry that their licensure status will be threatened.

However, other students have and do openly talk about their issues — including depression and anxiety — on platforms like NPR. In addition, various medical schools are teaching faculty to look for signs of suicide. A new petition — which has gathered more than 75,000 signatures — demands the AAMC and the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education take action to prevent medical student suicides.

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