Students' perception of medical school stress and their evaluation of a wellness elective

Context Because medical education is known to be demanding and stressful, Case Western Reserve University developed a programme which included a wellness elective which focused on stress reduction and personal wellness. Objectives The purpose of this study was to explore students' perceptions of medical school stress and to assess their perspective on the wellness elective. Subjects The essays of 60 medical students enrolled in the wellness elective were used. Methods The essays were analysed using qualitative methodology. Results were validated by questionnaires mailed to the students 2 years later. Results It was found that the students felt that: (1) wellness issues should be important for physicians; (2) their own wellbeing had been diminished by the burden of information to be learned in medical school; (3) talking to peers was a useful coping mechanism, and (4) the elective gave permission to engage in wellness activities without additional guilt. Conclusions Based on the students' responses, a wellness elective could be a useful addition to the first- or second-year medical curriculum.