Promoting Mental Health Awareness Among Future Healthcare Professionals 

This article was exclusively written for The European Sting by Ms. Maravi Khider A. ElHassan, an MBBS candidate @ AlZaiem AlAzhari University (AAU), Sudan. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students Associations (IFMSA), cordial partner of The Sting. The opinions expressed in this piece belong strictly to the writer and do not necessarily reflect IFMSA’s view on the topic, nor The European Sting’s one.

The mental health among future healthcare professionals is considered a critical aspect, specially that this group specifically is the highest group of getting affected due to the long term of dual academic and clinical practice pressure. Which have been seen in the recent years in the form of depression, anxiety, burnout or stress.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defines mental health as “A state of mental well-being that enables people to cope with the stresses of life, realize their abilities, learn and work well, and contribute to their community”. and it is considered a fundamental human right to all humans.

Anxiety, depression and other mental health conditions have been noticed among this group of students in the forms of stress, fear of failure, and long hours of studying, with an inability to maintain concentration and reduced memory retention, which are clear signs of impaired cognitive and behavioral functionality.

Moreover, the long term impact of such issues without support has also led to a noticeable effect on the competencies of students within the clinical practicing years, specifically within OSCE exams, and it has been seen as an impairment to their clinical skills and patient interaction.

Mental health awareness encourages students to recognize the emotional difficulties, be alert to any early symptoms and seek a professional help when needed. Thus, it helps in reducing stigma surrounding the conceptional thoughts of mental health illnesses in the healthcare environments.

There is a wide portion of students who fear speaking about their anxiety and stress due to the judgemental thoughts that society, of all ages, applies to them. On the contrary, healthcare professionals who learn to take care of their well-being are more likely to provide effective care to patients in the future.

Universities, non-governmental organizations, and healthcare institutes can support students in several ways, this includes organizing different workshops and activities advocating for mental health and well-being, providing affordable counseling services with assurance of full privacy and confidentiality. Thus, creating peer support groups where students can share their experiences openly with each other encourages other students to make a step forward and can promote an open and a safe space for everyone.

With that said, supporting the mental health of future healthcare professionals can benefit both students and patients which is why we must encourage early learning about its importance, as well as stress and burnout resolution mechanisms, with a wide scale of support provision for students when needed to diminish the stigma accompanied by these conditions.

About the author

Maravi Khider A. ElHassan is an MBBS candidate @ AlZaiem AlAzhari University (AAU), Sudan. With a strong academic interest in mental health awareness and well-being. She is affiliated with the International Federation of Medical Students’ Associations (IFMSA). With an interest in clear communication and professional development, she aims to improve both academic writing and understanding of healthcare-related social issues. Her writing reflects a thoughtful and analytical mindset of her own and not IFMSA nor MedSIN-Sudan in particular.