Medical school stressors and emotional disturbance

Responses of 21 medical students requesting psychiatric evaluation at a personnel clinic were compared on a 33-item measure of stress with those of 25 medical students who had never been involved in psychiatric treatment. Items distinguishing clinic and comparison groups related to general psychological problems such as anxiety and difficulty concentrating on work rather than to problems related to the medical school experience per se, such as dealing with very sick people or worry over having to make life and death decisions.