IMA’s mental health guide for med students

MUMBAI: With an aim to reduce suicidal tendencies among young doctors, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) has prepared an e-book in collaboration with White Swan Foundation — ‘A guide to well-being for medical students’. “The e-book covers the common struggles of a medical students and offers coping strategies,” said a health official.

This comes after six medical students committed suicide this year. “IMA had also conducted a nationwide survey which revealed the fact the mental health of doctors and medical students is at extreme high level,” said a senior doctor. For a first year medical student, the environment is completely different. Sometimes academic pressure, environment, and relationships with friends, seniors take a toll on the student’s mind. It makes him/her volatile, and he/she may slip into depression.

Dr Ravi Wankhedkar, treasurer, World Medical Association, said this e-book will help the first year medical students to cope with mental health and it is a comprehensive guide on how to get through medical college while being mentally healthy. “Students come from different backgrounds and cultures. It takes them a lot of time to adjust to the new environment. Studies and work pressure, staying away from families, no communication with someone they could trust are the factors, owing to which a student plunges into depression and takes a final decision to commit suicide,” he added.