CFMS Wellness Program

Why understanding stress is essential to medical students?

by Lillian Chan

Medical students experience substantial stress from the
beginning of medical training. The coping mechanisms that students employ determine whether the stress has a positive or negative influence on their psychological and physical health and well being.

How can medical students manage stress effectively?

by David B Posen, MD

Medical students can benefit from learning how to manage stress,
not only for their own health and wellness, but also with the aim of modelling stress reduction strategies for their patients. This article provides practical, simple and effective ways to manage stress.

Psychological distress in medical students

by Michael F. Filosa, PhD

For medical students around the world, learning to be a doctor is a challenging undertaking, not only intellectually, but also physically and emotionally. During the course of their education and training, a significant number of medical students undergo increases in stress and distress symptoms that may negatively affect their performance as students as well as the patients they encounter during their clinical training. This article reviews and summarizes data to show the extent of the problem, and what may be some of the causes.

What to do with depressive symptoms?

by Lillian Chan, with material contribution from Michael Pare, MEd, MD

It is most important that a medical student who experiences symptoms of clinical depression recognizes it as a health condition, and seeks medical assistance as such.