Differential Determination of Perceived Stress in Medical Students and High-school Graduates Due to Private and Training-related Stressors

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2018 Feb 1

PMID 29385180

Citations 18

Authors

Rebecca Erschens

Anne Herrmann-Werner

Katharina Eva Keifenheim

Teresa Loda

Till Johannes Bugaj

Christoph Nikendei

Maria Lammerding-Koppel

Stephan Zipfel

Florian Junne

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objective: Numerous studies from diverse contexts have confirmed high stress levels and stress-associated health impairment in medical students. This study aimed to explore the differential association of perceived stress with private and training-related stressors in medical students according to their stage of medical education.

Methods: Participants were high-school graduates who plan to study medicine and students in their first, third, sixth, or ninth semester of medical school or in practical medical training. The self-administered questionnaire included items addressing demographic information, the Perceived Stress Questionnaire, and items addressing potential private and training-related stressors.

Results: Results confirmed a substantial burden of perceived stress in students at different stages of their medical education. In particular, 10-28% of students in their third or ninth semesters of medical school showed the highest values for perceived stress. Training-related stressors were most strongly associated with perceived stress, although specific stressors that determined perceived stress varied across different stages of students' medical education. High-school graduates highly interested in pursuing medical education showed specific stressors similar to those of medical students in their third, sixth, or ninth semesters of medical school, as well as stress structures with heights of general stress rates similar to those of medical students at the beginning of practical medical training.

Conclusions: High-school graduates offer new, interesting information about students' fears and needs before they begin medical school. Medical students and high-school graduates need open, comprehensive information about possible stressors at the outset of and during medical education. Programmes geared toward improving resilience behaviour and teaching new, functional coping strategies are recommended.

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