Impairment of doctors: are beginning medical students psychologically vulnerable?

The hypothesis that the stressful nature of medical training is a major cause of impairment of doctors is explored in this study by examining whether changes in psychological adjustment occur during the first year, the first year is stressful, and sex differences in psychological adjustment or stress occur. All first-year medical students at an Australian university completed self-rating measures of psychiatric symptomatology, ego-resilience, depressive mood and role conflict, support and confidence at the beginning, middle and end of the year. Measures of stress were included in the latter two assessments. On average, students appeared to be reasonably well adjusted when they entered the course, and were not adversely affected by their experiences during the year. While 'academic work' and 'intimate relationships' were comparatively stressful, stress levels reported were not high. The only sex difference was in depressive symptoms. The implications of these findings for medical training are discussed.