Perceived Stress and Subjective Happiness in Medical Students Before and After a Wellness Speaker Session

Medical students experience psychological stress due to academic workload, thereby leading to a reduction in overall well-being. In response, medical schools are incorporating wellness activities into the curriculum. However, single-session events have not been rigorously evaluated. This pilot study assessed the feasibility and acceptability of a single-session speaker event and examined pre- versus post-event differences in mean stress and happiness scores among survey respondents.

This study used anonymous, unlinked, pre- and post-event cross-sectional surveys to compare group-level perceived stress and subjective happiness among medical students attending a single-session wellness speaker event. First- and second-year medical students completed validated pre- and post-surveys, including the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Subjective Happiness Scale (SHS). The 60-min event, which was organized by student investigators, took place in January 2025. Welch's independent t-tests were used to compare group means. Effect sizes were calculated using Cohen's d. Post-event perception items were summarized descriptively, and open-ended responses were reviewed for recurring themes.

A total of 76 pre-surveys and 55 post-surveys were collected from 110 first- and second-year medical students. No statistically significant differences were found across PSS or SHS items (p>0.05), and effect sizes were uniformly small (Cohen's d range: -0.25 to +0.26). Despite the absence of statistically significant quantitative differences, 46/55 (83.6%) students reported that the event was helpful, 31/55 (57%) felt more confident managing stress, and the mean satisfaction score was 7.4/10. Open-ended feedback highlighted the speaker's relatability. Views were mixed on curricular integration, with 28/55 (50.9%) in favor of including similar wellness events as part of medical school programming.

This pilot study supports the feasibility and acceptability of brief, speaker-based wellness interventions in medical education. While no statistically significant group-level differences were detected in the immediate post-event analysis, student feedback suggests perceived value. Future efforts should explore longitudinal formats with supplemental training events and linked pre- and post-measurement to better assess outcomes and inform curriculum development.