Effects of a stress management program on third year medical students' anxiety depression and somatization

This article was migrated. The article was marked as recommended. Background: Transition from the medical school classroom to the clinical training years requires students to adapt in many ways. Schedules are more variable, with longer clinic hours and travel to affiliated hospitals. Students are also faced with emotional needs of patients coincident with meeting demands from attending physicians. The prevalence of anxiety, depression and overall distress increases during the four years of medical school and particularly during difficult transitions. Methods: Forty medical students entering their first clinical year enrolled in a two session stress management program focused on mindfulness and coping strategies. Sessions were interactive, conducted by a psychologist, social worker and a counselor and comprised evidenced based components. Results: Twenty nine students completed the program. Baseline comparisons between dropouts and eventual completers showed that dropouts were more likely to screen positive for depression, anxiety and somatic tendencies. Program completers evidenced short term increased knowledge about mindfulness and coping and demonstrated significant decreases in anxiety and somatization at the end of the program. Conclusion: Though scheduling of any additional programs during the clinical years of medical school presents significant challenges, students who complete such a program sustain important benefits and evaluate the program positively.