Betsy Schwartz, MSW is the Senior Director for the APAF Center for Workplace Mental Health.
From your perspective, what are the most common mental health challenges pre-med and medical students face today?
Relative to mental health, burnout is the greatest challenge for medical students. Prolonged and unaddressed burnout can then lead to or exacerbate mental health conditions such as anxiety or depression.
What early signs of burnout or chronic stress should these students be mindful of?
As a medical student, you might expect school to consume your waking hours, but that doesn’t always translate to excelling academically. You may be experiencing the onset of burnout if you have a sense that your work does not matter, a sense of doubt in your own skills and abilities, low levels of satisfaction even when a project is completed successfully, a sense that you can’t afford to focus on anything except work to the point of excluding loved ones, or difficulty staying focused on schoolwork. You may also struggle with falling or staying asleep.
How can aspiring medical students begin to build healthy coping mechanisms before entering medical school?
Finding time outside of school and practice can be difficult, but small habits can build a foundation for preventing burnout. Focusing on quality sleep, good nutrition, and self-care activities are healthy ways to decompress in one’s free time. Accessing services like coaching or therapy can also be extremely beneficial for staying well through school.
Learn to prioritize hobbies or leisure activities. Practice healthy sleep habits, like leaving your phone in a drawer overnight so you won’t look at it first thing in the morning or fall asleep using it. You can also visit a mental health professional prior to medical school to plan coping strategies before you need them.
What role should medical schools play in supporting student mental health, and where do you feel gaps currently exist?
Medical schools tend to foster a culture of pushing through the work at all costs. Addressing outdated cultural norms is critical for improved medical student mental health outcomes. Some programs across the country have made therapy available for students at no cost. In addition, they make sure to promote the service through leadership and communications as often as possible.
Are there specific tools, habits, or daily practices you recommend for students balancing heavy academics with personal well-being?
We know how deeply intertwined physical and mental health are, so lifestyle psychiatry practices are essential when balancing medical school with relationships and self-care. A few of the most effective lifestyle psychiatry interventions: Making moderate to vigorous exercise a habit, prioritizing at least seven hours of sleep a night, and eating a wide variety of whole foods. Journaling or using an app to track mindfulness, gratitude, and daily activities can round out self-care for the whole being.
What would you say to a student who feels like they’re falling behind or not ‘cut out’ for medicine because of mental health struggles?
Far from disqualifying you from a career in medicine, struggling with your mental health can actually make you a stronger healthcare provider. Having your own lived experiences with mental health conditions primes you to empathize with your patients and provide care that truly meets their needs. Make sure you’re relying on the mental health resources available to you as a medical student so you can relay stories of how mental health care worked for you to encourage your future patients.
Inspira Advantage is proud to interview experts like Betsy Schwartz, MSW, to help future doctors understand the challenges and rewards of a medical career. Set up a consultation with one of our experts today to learn more about how we can help you get into medical school.
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