To what extent does medical education concern itself with the medical students' own health?

Abstract

This paper reports the findings of a qualitative study of 46 staff of one medical school who co-ordinate the elements that made up the undergraduate medical curriculum. In semi-structured interviews, medical teachers were asked to what extent their course looked at the students' health. The issue proved not to be central, but it was covered in just under half of' the courses. Several staff expressed concerns about student mental health, while two courses helped students deal with atressful experiences. Coverage of the students' physical health was more opportunist, and often student-initiated. Students appeared to respond best to inputs that related to their immediate concerns. There appeared to be very little teaching on healthy settings, and no link made between this work and the concept of a 'healthy medical school'. Those who would develop health promotion in medical education could build on such work as exists on students' own health, and in particular their mental and emotional health, which might then be used as a stepping stone to a broader consideration of the medical school as a setting for health.