Medical student suicide, 1989-1994

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Psychiatry
• Public Health

Background:

• Conflicting data exists regarding suicide rates among medical students.
• Previous studies have not provided a clear picture of medical student suicide trends.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate medical student suicide rates between August 1989 and May 1994.
• To gather data on demographic characteristics, psychiatric history, and circumstances surrounding medical student suicides.

Main Methods:

• Telephone interviews were conducted with representatives from U.S. medical schools.
• Data on student suicides, including demographic and psychiatric information, were collected.

Main Results:

• Responses were received from 101 (80%) of 126 U.S. medical schools.
• Fifteen medical student suicides were reported between August 1989 and May 1994.
• Most suicides were by men, occurred in the third or fourth year of study, and often involved students with psychiatric histories.

Conclusions:

• The study indicates a lower suicide rate among medical students than previously reported.
• Standardized reporting methods are crucial for accurate data collection on medical student suicides.