A new study shows suffering from depression has become common at medical schools.
A new study shows how prevalent depression is among med students, undocumented students face uncertainty under the Trump administration, and experts explain why the admissions interview is your time to shine. Let’s see the top stories for aspiring doctors.
Med student depression
Med students (and pre-med students) are among the most overworked and overstressed learners around. With major exams, a packed course load, lack of sleep, and isolation from friends and family, medical school can take its toll. A new study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association confirms this, showing that a full 27 percent of med students struggle with depression. The paper also explores a big reason why those with depression in medical school often don’t report the issue: fear of being stigmatized. Nobody wants to be labeled “weak” or “incompetent” by those who are ignorant about the illness.
“There is this tendency in medical culture to see psychological issues as not real health issues,” explains Marco Ramos, a coauthor of the study and med student himself. “It is an issue with them. They are failing to perform the way they need to perform. It makes you not want to talk about it. We don’t want to be seen as struggling.’’ (The Boston Globe)
Uncertainty for medical school “dreamers”
Who are the “dreamers”? It’s a term you might hear thrown around in political discourse, so here’s a brief description: It basically means adults who were brought to this country without legal documents by their parents. They grew up American but lacked the paperwork for citizenship. Many didn’t even know about their immigration status until they got a bit older. In any case, wherever you stand on the issue, many have been here for over 20 years, and many have been able to enroll in medical school thanks to an Obama administration program called DACA (the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals).
But with the arrival of a new administration, this may all change. While President-elect Donald Trump once promised to “immediately terminate” the program, he’s now showing some flexibility. This is one med student’s story. (The Wall Street Journal)
Admissions interview tips
Once you submit your (hopefully strong) MCAT score and GPA and make it past the primary application process, you arrive at the part of medical school admissions that many aspiring doctors fear most: the interview. This is were medical schools get to see you up close and measure whether you have what it takes to succeed in the program. They determine whether you have the “fire in the belly” and if you are a good fit. By the way, it’s also a good opportunity for YOU to interview the school. Here a few things to be careful of during the interview:
Make sure you are making eye contact.
Don’t be too relaxed. A lack of enthusiasm may hurt you. Try to block out personal issues that may be bothering you that day and focus on what has been a lifelong goal.
Don’t be cocky. Medical school admissions is competitive and they’ve seen lots of applicants that week. Be humble, but confident.
As one expert says, “Interview day is a time for you to shine—demonstrate through your body language and words that you are excited to interview at the institution and become a physician.” (U.S. News & World Report)
A snapshot of top-ranked programs
If you are an aspiring doctor who wants to attend a top ranked program (which is not always necessary to becoming a successful, well-compensated physician!), here are some key things to know:
At Harvard Medical School, tuition and fees is well over $60,000 per year. The school has almost 11,400 faculty members.
Stanford Medical School counts seven Nobel Prize winners among its faculty. And about 30 of its staff members belong to the National Academy of Medicine.
At Johns Hopkins University, you’ll find 1,200 students going for their medical or doctoral degrees. (Becker’s Hospital Review)
Planning for life as a med student? Grab our free countdown to medical school checklist to make sure you’re on the right path.