Integration of Suicide Prevention Training into the Preclinical Medical School Curriculum

Abstract According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2023, 1.5 million adults attempted suicide (1). To address this mental health emergency, suicide prevention workshops have been introduced to resident physicians (5). However there exists a gap in suicide education for medical students, especially in the preclinical years. This study evaluated the feasibility and impact of integrating safeTALK, a standardized suicide prevention training, into the preclinical curriculum at Oakland University William Beaumont School of Medicine (OUWB). safeTALK was piloted as both an optional and a required component of the OUWB curriculum, and students completed pre- and post-training surveys assessing their self-perceived preparedness to identify and handle a mental health crisis. Our data shows that incorporating a brief suicide prevention program like safeTALK significantly increased students’ self-perceived abilities to both identify and handle a mental crisis. Integrating this training into the preclinical medical curriculum is both feasible and effective in improving students’ preparedness to engage with real-world mental health crises. Broader adoption of suicide prevention training in the medical school curriculum can help foster a culture of mental health awareness and equip students with life-saving intervention skills.