title: Vicarious traumatization and coping in medical students: a pilot study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explored the impact of traumatic experiences on medical students during their clerkships.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical students completed an anonymous online survey inquiring about traumatic experiences on required clerkships during their third year of medical school, including any symptoms they may have experienced as well as coping strategies they may have used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-six percent of students reported experiencing vicarious traumatization (VT) during their third year of medical school.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The experience of VT in medical students is relevant to medical educators, given that the resulting symptoms may impact student performance and learning as well as ongoing well-being. Fifty percent of the students who experienced VT in this study did so on the psychiatry clerkship. It is important for psychiatrists to recognize that this is a potential risk for students in order to increase the likelihood that appropriate supports are provided.
authors.affiliation: Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA, USA, calmateen@mcvh-vcu.edu.
authors.forename: Cheryl S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Al-Mateen
authors.forename: Julie A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Linker
authors.forename: Neha
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Damle
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hupe
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Helfer
authors.forename: Veronica
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Jessick
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D002982:Clinical Clerkship; D005260:Female; D013502:General Surgery / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000193:education; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000523:psychology*