Stress levels in medical students: A comparative study of first-and final-year MBBS students of government medical college

Medical students face higher stress than peers in other fields, with 50% showing depression and 29.6% at risk of suicide. Contributing factors include demanding curricula, time management issues, and communication barriers. This stress harms emotional, mental, and physical health and is linked to higher suicide risk. The Medical Student Stress Questionnaire assesses stress from mild to severe. The present study revealed that 46.8% of 1 st year and 47.2% of final-year students had high academic-related stress, with final-year students reporting the highest stress. This underscores the need for support systems and interventions for medical students.