Medical students welfare survey report
April 2005
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Summary
- This report presents the results of a national survey of medical students on their views and concerns with regard to the welfare services and support available to them.
- Most respondents report that their medical school provides a personal tutor. Whilst two-thirds of respondents state that services for medical student families are provided by their medical school, less than 10 per cent are provided with mentoring.
- The majority of respondents rate their medical school welfare services as average.
- Around half of respondents have never used the student support services provided by their medical school.
- Availability was regarded as the most important quality in a good tutor by 80% of respondents, followed by compassion and confidentiality.
- More than a third of respondents report that they are aware of particular issues facing mature students at their medical school. The hardships faced by these students include childcare, financial, placement allocation and social isolation.
- Most respondents do not know whether there are any policies in place at their medical school for pregnant students and students with children, nor do they know whether their medical school provides additional support to students with children or dependants.
- A third of respondents state that they or someone they know at medical school suffers from a chronic illness or disability. More than half of respondents report that they or a fellow medical student suffer from dyslexia.
- Three quarters of respondents report that their medical school does take special circumstances into account for placement allocations.
- Half of respondents do not think that students should be offered the opportunity to study medicine part-time. Among the 40 per cent of respondents that agree with part-time study at medical school, half think that it should be restricted to those with special circumstances, whilst 40 per cent think that it should be available to all medical students.
- Very few respondents state that their religious beliefs or practices have ever interfered with their studies or with patient care.
- Around a quarter of respondents state that they have been bullied by other doctors, whilst 16 per cent have been bullied by nurses. Ten per cent of respondents report that they have been discriminated against by other doctors.
- Most respondents agree that drugs and/or alcohol do play a role in medical student culture. More than a third of respondents know of someone who uses alcohol or drugs to help them cope with the pressures of work.
- Most respondents do not know whether their medical school has a policy on whistleblowing and do not think there is adequate support for individuals who whistleblow.
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