A family physician-counselor program for medical students

Impairment among medical students has increased over the past decade, thus requiring programs to identify and manage student needs.

At Eastern Virginia Medical School, first-year medical students are assigned personal physician-counselors from the Department of Family and Community Medicine. These physicians provide health care and assist students in identifying and managing new or preexisting medical and psychosocial problems. Students meet with their physician-counselors during the first week of school to develop rapport and to complete a screening history and genogram. Subsequent small group meetings help students adjust to life in medical school.

Psychosocial problems such as alcoholism, mental illness, substance addiction, and sexual abuse have been identified among students and/or their families, and management strategies have been initiated. This program has been evaluated highly by both faculty and students.

This program has been helpful in identifying problems and implementing treatment strategies for medical students.