Feb 12

Medical School & Mental Health

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Medical School Blog

Photo credit: Joe Houghton / Foter.com / CC BY

Hi folks! I wanted to take some time today to chat about a sensitive topic that doesn’t get enough attention. Deep breath! Ready? Okay. Let’s talk about mental health in medical school.

I first began to think about mental health as an ubiquitous problem when a good friend from college visited me in San Antonio. Let’s call her Violet. Violet is also a medical student in a different city and was in town for a conference a few months ago. My lovely friend has it all: she’s gorgeous, has a wonderful boyfriend, is super smart and funny, and has lots of friends. She can also walk on water and breathe fire and tame dragons – you get the point. I’ve always envied her a little because I wanted to be just like her. I still do. But when we had lunch a few months ago, Violet confessed to me that she was having panic attacks right before exams, and suffers from anxiety and depression. I was shocked. Here’s why: up until that point I thought I was the only one having issues with school. I then realized that just maybe, we’re all in this together.

I’m not going to spend yet another paragraph telling you how hard medical school can be. You have plenty of people saying that already. But I am going to say how hard dealing with how hard medical school is. Does that make any sense?

With that said, I have a confession. I go to counseling. Sometimes, I get stressed out. I get sad. I get anxious. And I need a healthy, constructive way to deal with my stress. Yes, I work out. Yes, I try to eat healthy. But I also go to counseling. It is a little scary announcing that on a blog for everyone to see, but I am doing it because I know that I am not alone. For those of you who feel a little lost, a little scared and a little anxious, I need to tell you that YOU are NOT ALONE. And neither is my friend Violet.

Going to counseling does not make you crazy. If anything, I think it makes you smart. Violet goes as well, and it really helps her. A lot of our classmates go, too. One day, we’ll be doctors ourselves. In order to be there for our patients, we need to be healthy too. If you had a tooth ache, wouldn’t you go to the dentist? Mental health is NO different. If you think you need help, there is no shame in that. In fact, I’m proud of those who stand up and speak out. There needs to be more of that.

There is a stigma against mental illness and health when the fact is that so many students face this sort of challenge. It doesn’t mean that we won’t be terrific doctors. It means that the process of becoming a terrific doctor is not without its hurdles. The trick is to get help often and early so that mental health does not become a barrier to success.

According to a 2008 article from American Medical News, “a study in the…Annals of Internal Medicine found that 50% of approximately 2,200 medical students surveyed at seven medical schools reported burnout, while 11% said they considered suicide in the past year.” This is serious business.

I happen to be very lucky in that I have a loving and supportive group of family and friends to reach out to. My school also does a fantastic job of supporting its students. We have access to free counseling and therapy, and our deans and professors check in on us regularly. Just last week one of the deans called me into his office just to chat and check in. If you find that school and life is getting to be just too much to bear, please reach out to someone. Like I’ve said before, you’re not alone.

Do you or does someone you know struggle with stress or depression? What do you do to relieve stress and stay healthy and happy?

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All of the opinions expressed here are the author’s and hers alone, and do not represent necessarily those of Kaplan or its employees.

 

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Pooja Sarkar

About Pooja Sarkar

First year medical student at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center at San Antonio.
View all posts by Pooja Sarkar →
  • Holly D.

    It is SOOOO hard to admit how hard med school is. I feel like I’m always the downer in the group when I’m talking to incoming students or pre-meds. All my peers are telling them, “It’s fine, you’ll get through it!” and talking about all the fun extracurriculars they have time to do, and still make good grades. And I’m thinking to myself, “Am I the only one here who feels like this has consumed my life and it’s making me miserable because I’ve dropped everything I used to do, and I still never feel good enough?” When everyone else is putting up such a good front, it just makes my weaknesses seem even worse. Thanks for being willing to share your own struggles. It makes such a difference just to know you’re not alone.

    • http://kaplanmedical.com/ KaplanMedical

      Thank you for sharing your own experiences, Holly. I am glad that you see you are not alone and I also very much appreciate your honesty. Just like you, I wish more people would be willing to share the not-so-rosy side of things from time to time, because quite frankly, I feel like I would have been better prepared for medical school if I had absorbed a more realistic picture. It’s not that medical school isn’t great –don’t get me wrong, I think it is—but it is not without its own unique challenges. That’s what we are trying to do on this blog – we want to make sure that we are telling it like it is, warts and all! -Pooja

  • Nance

    Definitely agree with you and Holly. I think every person has insecurities and problems, and medical school has a fantastic way of bringing those out at an even greater level. But it’s important to find some ways to deal with that stress and not let it consume you. Medical school is definitely a beast, but with the right help and assistance, it’s much more tamable. Thanks for sharing your story!

    • http://kaplanmedical.com/ KaplanMedical

      Nance, I really appreciate your positive outlook. I think it’s incredibly hard but definitely worth it to maintain a balance between optimism and realism and you do a fantastic job of keeping track of both. You’re absolutely right, medical school is a beast, but it is not impossible and with the right tools it can be shaped into a very rewarding experience. -Pooja

  • Mariah

    I respect the courage that it took for you to talk about needing a counselor on your public blog. I don’t know if I would be able to do the same if I were in your position.

    • http://kaplanmedical.com/ KaplanMedical

      Hi Mariah, thanks for reading. You’re right, sharing such an intimate detail about yourself can be hard, but I did it so that others could see that there really is no reason to be afraid of stigma! I think the world would be a lot less complicated if we spent less energy being shy or afraid, and more energy seeking help when we need it. -Pooja

  • Fred

    I really respect this blog. It takes a lot of courage to talk about going to counseling. I have experienced anxiety problems and have seen some of my close friends and family go through states of depression. I have always found counseling or talking to someone to be extremely helpful in these situations. Awesome blog

    • http://kaplanmedical.com/ KaplanMedical

      Anxiety is a natural and common response to tough challenges and I think it’s fantastic that you are learning how to deal with it in a constructive and healthy way. Thank you for sharing Fred! -Pooja

  • Born Again Human

    I happen to go for a mini conference to UT Health Science. I was impressed by some of the highly qualified faculty in medicine at that time, and now I see a different aspect of this school that raises my opinion even higher.This young student seems to be learning to face and fight the down days from within and from her supports. It is great to see that another great potential may not be lost.

    • http://kaplanmedical.com/ KaplanMedical

      Thank you for your kind words! Medical schools across the country are realizing that their biggest assets are their students and this is being reflected in curricular changes and a growing network of mental health professionals who are devoted to helping students. My school is no different, and my classmates and I are certainly lucky to have such a wonderful support system in place. -Pooja

  • We are just humans

    I really appreciate you talking about this issue. Even though I am not in med school or plan on applying to one, I am in sort of same situation as you. I applied to Dental school last year and didnt get accepted. I applied to it this year and I still haven’t heard anything yet. I feel I might not get accepted this year either. I know the reason why I am not getting accepted. I have done everything I could – research, jobs, leadership positions, clubs,shadowing, community services even work as a dental assistant. My GPA is good so It is probably DAT score that is stopping me. I am not good at taking standardized tests. I get extremely nervous as soon as I enter the testing room and my brain completely blanks out, not only that my bladder becomes hyperactive. I also had hard time focusing when I am taking tests. I try really hard not to think about other things but I somehow manage to think about things I want do ones I get out of that testing center. I have started to have nightmares about dental school. I have had nightmares about Dr. Anonymous throwing my application at me and telling me I have no hope to be admitted to their school (apparently my first school of choice) it gets worse sometimes, I have had my parents call me I have failed them. I have thought about going to a counselor but since I am out of school, I have to pay 50 -60 bucks for each sessions which is hard for a graduate student to pay so I found an alternative way to deal with it (probably not the best solution but it kind of works for me) I started taking classes for my back up plan and work two jobs. I realized if I am extremely busy then I wouldnt have a lot of time to think about it and by the time I would get home at night, I would be so tired that I would fall asleep right away and avoid nightmares.
    I think everyone has problems in their life. I feel every intellectual being undergoes depression in their lifetime. It is a product of our demanding society. I am glad there are people like who talk more openly about it and I wish many more would.

    • we are just humans

      Sorry guys, I thought I would get a chance to edit so I didn’t proof read before submitting. I apologize for missing words and other grammatical mistakes. :(

      • http://kaplanmedical.com/ KaplanMedical

        Thank you for sharing your story. Sometimes we just have one burning log to deal with, sometimes things pile up and we have a bonfire. If counseling is too expensive, try looking for support groups online that are free, and keep track of your mood with a journal, so that you know if you’ve been depressed for an extended amount of time (2+ weeks). Know that you are not alone, and that documenting your journey may be the first step to getting help. The hardest part is knowing when to ask for help, and knowing who you can turn to. I wish you best of luck, keep your head up and hang in there! -Pooja

  • Wanna

    This is a great article with a very important message! I think some of us med students like to pretend everything is well because if we own up to how overwhelmed we really feel, then we will seem weaker than our classmates. It’s important to realize how everyone is in the same boat and more importantly, how we are all in this together. We need to be supportive of each other and recognize that nobody’s success can undermine another’s.

    • http://kaplanmedical.com/ KaplanMedical

      Hi Wanna- We completely agree! It’s important to have a strong supportive community. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!