The epidemiology of minor illnesses among medical students

A cohort of 126 third-year medical students was followed for a year by means of self-administered questionnaires at the end of major clinical clerkships to ascertain the frequency and duration of the symptoms of their minor illnesses. Students reported an average of 4.36 illnesses per person per year, more than 80 percent of which were upper respiratory episodes. The absenteeism rate was 2.1 days per student per year. A highly significant association between the illness rate and the pediatric clerkship was documented; a less significant seasonal trend of more upper respiratory illnesses in winter than in other seasons was also observed.