[Consumption of performance-enhancing drugs by medical students in Nancy]

Medical students, who deal routinely with difficult studies and with patients, are not always prepared for this challenge. This may produce a specific and important source of stress. As a consequence, medical students may sometimes develop maladaptive responses, such as substance abuse. This study aimed to evaluate performance-enhancing drug use among medical students at the University Hospital of Nancy, France. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire was given to all 104 eighth-year residents. The 93 responding students (37 female and 56 male), were aged 28.0 +/- 2.2 years (mean +/- SD); 53 per cent of the subjects reported enhancing-substance use in their first year of medical studies (72 per cent during preparation for their difficult examinations and 28 per cent throughout the year). The main substances were vitamins, anti-fatigue capsules, betablockers, marijuana (illicit drug) and benzodiazepines; 46 per cent of them were still using these drugs during the second to sixth years of their medical course. The main sources of drugs were retail pharmacists, with or without medical prescriptions. Could this use persist and lead to doctors with substance problems?