Abstract

Cross-sectional studies have reported arrays of psychological issues such as perceived stress, depression, burnout, and even suicide ideation in medical students. This study proposes to examine these indicators in a class of students entering a new medical college and to follow changes in these measures on a yearly basis throughout the medical school experience. More than 50% of all students assessed for burnout had either moderate or high degree of emotional exhaustion (over 80% in the second year class) with some experiencing it very early (over 30% in the first year class). Several associations existed between individuals with very adequate level of support network and those with low perceived stress and low burnout. Higher rates of perceived stress were seen in the two classes when compared to the reported rates in the general population. Analogous burnout results were identified when compared to reported mean values in medical student population. The identification of issues that adversely affect health status over the course of medical students’ education could provide significant knowledge that potentially could be directed toward the creation of new wellness and behavioral interventions focused specifically on the medical student population.