Mark Twain “The physician who knows only medicine, knows not even medicine.”
Ahhh, spring! A time to shake off winter cobwebs and cabin fever, a season for rejuvenation, long walks in the park, hooking up with friends and family, falling in love, etc. Well, this may be so for “normal” folks, but not for those poor souls who have voluntarily submitted themselves to the unimaginable workload of medical school or pre-health education! Spring for many students just means more seemingly unending psychological and physiological stress. Things such as MCAT, USMLE, COMLEX, DAT, PCAT and, yes, those pesky applications and letters of recommendations around the corner at the end of spring are all things student can look forward to (not to intentionally add more stress). Medical and pre-health students know from experience that this relentless stress can and often does wreak havoc on their body, mind and spirit. It does not come as a surprise that these experiences can result in anxiety disorders, chronic fatigue, depression, and immune deficiency. Students suffer from perpetual fight or flight sensations, as if being chased by a tiger, symptoms which escalate around exams, applications, or interviews.
Thriving in School? Integrating Stress Intervention Practices
