Mental Health Impacts on Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Summary
The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly disrupted medical education, provoking elevated levels of psychological distress among students worldwide. Rapid shifts to online learning, suspension of clinical placements and concerns over competence have contributed to heightened anxiety, depression, stress and burnout. Many students reported uncertainty about their academic progress, isolation from peers and diminished social support networks. Risk factors include higher year of study, rural residence, direct exposure to pandemic‐related stressors and negative coping styles. Conversely, resilience, accurate knowledge about the virus and structured peer or institutional support have mitigated adverse outcomes. The global scale of these effects has highlighted the need for adaptive curricula, accessible mental health services and targeted interventions to safeguard the wellbeing of future healthcare professionals.
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Mental Health Impacts on Medical Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic publication trend
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Technical terms
Comorbidity: The simultaneous presence of two or more psychological or physiological conditions in an individual, often compounding health outcomes.
Burnout: A state of emotional exhaustion, depersonalisation and reduced personal accomplishment resulting from chronic academic or occupational stress.
Post‐Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A psychiatric condition characterised by intrusive memories, avoidance behaviours, negative mood and heightened arousal following exposure to traumatic events.
Resilience: The ability to adapt to stress and adversity, maintaining or regaining psychological wellbeing in the face of challenges.
References
- Comorbid anxiety and depressive symptoms and the related factors among international medical students in China during COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study. BMC Psychiatry (2023).
- Reduced burnout in medical and health science students during the pandemic COVID-19 - a follow-up study of a single institution in Hungary. BMC Medical Education (2023).
- Mental health and cognitive function among medical students after the COVID-19 pandemic in China. Frontiers in Public Health (2023).
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