Mental health and wellness of medical students in Ontario – A mixed methods approach

Medical students are highly susceptible to distress and burnout, raising concern about how this can carry over into their careers, impacting wellness, professionalism, and patient care. The aims of this study are to assess the mental health and wellness status of medical students in Ontario. This study electronically surveyed medical students across M1-M4 attending a medical school in Ontario, Canada, using the Brief COPE, DASS21, and Copenhagen Burnout Inventory (CBI) to examine their coping mechanisms, levels of stress, anxiety, and depression, the prevalence of personal, work-related, and patient-related burnout, and perceived support. Participants were recruited through mass email containing a survey link. BriefCOPE results show that students tend to rely on self-distraction, emotional support, instrumental support, and acceptance as coping mechanisms. DASS21 demonstrates that M4 students report severe stress and anxiety and mild depression. Results of CBI show moderate personal and work-related burnout, and low patient-related burnout. Qualitative analysis of students' opinion on how the institution can enhance their wellness resulted in three themes: enhanced student scheduling, more communication from the administration, and more elective wellness sessions and social events. The data presented in this study will provide insight into the overall mental health and wellness of medical students studying in Ontario and may have important implications for medical education, healthcare institutions, and health policymaking.