Well-being in first year medical students.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Student Well-being
• Mental Health Services

Background:

• First-year medical students face unique stressors impacting their well-being.
• Understanding attitudes toward counseling is crucial for promoting mental health support.
• Coping strategies significantly influence student mental health outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the well-being, attitudes toward counseling, willingness to seek counseling, and coping strategies of first-year medical students.
• To investigate gender differences in attitudes toward and willingness to seek counseling among these students.

Main Methods:

• A 59-item questionnaire was administered to 105 first-year medical students.
• Data were analyzed using hierarchical regression and multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA).

Main Results:

• Female medical students exhibited less willingness and more negative attitudes toward counseling compared to males.
• The primary reason for not seeking counseling was a perceived lack of need; stigma was a minor factor.
• Unhealthy coping strategies were negatively associated with well-being, while healthy strategies showed no correlation.

Conclusions:

• Medical schools should enhance counseling accessibility and address negative attitudes, particularly among female students.
• Interventions targeting unhealthy coping mechanisms are recommended for medical students.
• Future research should consider longitudinal studies and broader student populations.