Reassuring the medical students' disease--health related anxiety among medical students.
BACKGROUND
Studying a specific illness could lead medical students to an incorrect interpretation of certain physical symptoms, so that symptoms which were previously considered normal are now regarded as a true sign of an illness.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the appraisal of self-health state, the existing fear of morbidity and the level of health-related anxiety among medical students throughout medical school.


METHODS
Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to first through sixth year medical students at the Tel-Aviv University Medical School. The questionnaires were distributed to all the students who were present on the study days.


RESULTS
We observed a significant rise in the emotional-distress process with entering the clinical years followed by a significant decrease later on. Similar pattern was seen in health anxiety and in preoccupation with and fear of illness and death. While the perceptual-cognitive process increased gradually, there was no change in interference with life scores.


CONCLUSIONS
"Medical student's disease" should be regarded as a phenomenon depending on the years of learning. By breaking it down into its components, one can better characterize it and predict its onset. By defining it as a normal process, one can assist in guiding medical students to reduce their level of anxiety and distress.
Azuri
Joseph
J
Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel-Aviv University, Israel. azuri_yo@mac.org.il
Ackshota
Nissim
N
Vinker
Shlomo
S
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006998:Hypochondriasis / Q000523:psychology*; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult