Impact of Academic Stress on Mental and Physical Well-Being of Students: A Case of Students Preparing for Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT)

Academic stress has become a pervasive concern in contemporary education, particularly among students preparing for competitive examinations such as the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) in Pakistan. This study explores students' perceptions of the impact of academic stress on their mental and physical well-being, with a specific focus on MDCAT aspirants in Punjab. A quantitative research design was employed, utilizing a structured questionnaire administered to a purposive sample of students. Descriptive statistics, including mean scores and rankings, were used to analyze responses across two key domains: mental and physical health. The findings reveal that students widely perceive academic stress to significantly impair their mental well-being, particularly by lowering self-esteem and confidence (Mean = 4.14), contributing to anxiety, depression, irritability, and sleep disturbances. Similarly, academic stress was found to harm physical well-being, with high mean scores indicating its influence on fatigue, disrupted sleep, changes in appetite, and reduced physical activity (Mean = 4.14 for physical activity hindrance). Moderate physical symptoms such as headaches and tension were also noted. The study highlights the multidimensional nature of academic stress, emphasizing its detrimental effects on both emotional resilience and physiological functioning. These findings underscore the urgent need for educational institutions to implement comprehensive stress management programs and student support systems.