Medical student
Individual enrolled at a medical school
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A medical student is an individual enrolled at a medical school with the eventual goal of becoming a medical doctor.
Medical students are exposed to both preclinical and clinical studies throughout their professional education, and are generally conferred a medical degree upon successful completion of the required curriculum.
Further training through a residency program in addition to board certification is required in many jurisdictions prior to individuals becoming eligible to obtain a medical license and practice as a physician.
Educational pathways
The timeline and structure of medical education depends heavily on both regional expectations and jurisdictional laws that govern professional training and licensure.
United States
Students are generally required to have completed a pre-medical educational track at the undergraduate level prior to applying. There are no formal academic major requirements, but relevant courses may involve chemistry, physics and biology subjects; most schools maintain a list of academic prerequisites.[1] These concepts, alongside others, are present on the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT), a standardized test taken by prospective students during the application process. Although research has demonstrated that MCAT scores can be predictive of performance throughout medical education,[2] concerns regarding adequate access to educational resources for test preparation by students of lower socioeconomic status have been raised.[3]
Traditionally, medical schools follow a four-year curriculum, with the first two years covering basic science education, while the final two years comprise of clinical clerkship training, where students receive firsthand experience in and training for patient care.[4] Students are expected to gain a complete understanding human physiological processes, appreciate the pathology of common medical conditions, and gain a deep understanding of medical ethics throughout their education.[5] Medical education has shifted toward becoming more interdisciplinary in recent years, with students also expected to understand how social studies may affect patient health and play into the evolving healthcare landscape in the United States.[6]
Medical schools in the United States grant either Doctor of Medicine (MD) and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) degrees, both of which entitle the holder to receive medical licensing at an accredited residency training program.[7] Students are expected to prepare for and take either the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) or Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination of the United States (COMLEX-USA), both of which are divided into three components. Successful completion of these examinations is required prior to the issuance of a medical license in the United States.[8]
Challenges
Stress in medical students is a widely recognized problem, causing both short- and long-lasting physical and psychological effects that are detrimental to the well-being of medical students. The demands of medical school curriculum can differ significantly from academic expectations students have previously been exposed to, which can lead to uncertainty in personal study behavior and progress, in addition to concerns regarding the availability of study materials.[9] Stress has been observed to differ across student demographics and stage of training; students have often cited academic pressure and financial burden as significant stressors.[10] A higher prevalence of depression and anxiety has been noted among trainees in comparison to the general population, likely due to the constant exposure to clinical environments as well as high demands of medical training.[11][12] Excessive levels of stress at the medical student level may serve as a precursor to physician burnout, a well-documented psychological syndrome of fatigue due to chronic exposure to occupational stressors.[10]
In addition to acting as a stressor, the financial burden of attending medical school can be significant and may serve as a barrier for individuals seeking access to professional training. The average cost of tuition, fees and health insurance for medical schools in the United States for the 2021-2022 academic year was US$62,539 for private institutions; students reported that these high costs, in addition to further unexpected additional expenses associated with attendance, significantly impacted their mental health and well-being.[13]
Bullying in medicine has been noted to disproportionately affect medical students. A 1990 JAMA study reported that 46.4% of students at one medical school have reported being abused at some point during their education; despite increased public awareness, Association of American Medical Colleges graduation questionnaires from 2012 and 2013 reported mistreatment rates of 47.1% and 42.1%, respectively.[14] Medical students have also cited abuse in academic research settings, ranging from bullying and harassment to denial of recognition and authorship manipulation.[15]