The association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in Year-1 of medical school
Abstract Background The prevalence of medical students’ mental distress is high. While schools apply various methods to select a well-performing and diverse student population, little is known about the association between different selection methods and the well-being of these students during medic...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2023-06-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Education |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04411-0 |
| _version_ | 1827922944753401856 |
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| author | Vera M.A. Broks Karen M. Stegers-Jager Suzanne Fikrat-Wevers Walter. W. Van den Broek Andrea M. Woltman |
| author_facet | Vera M.A. Broks Karen M. Stegers-Jager Suzanne Fikrat-Wevers Walter. W. Van den Broek Andrea M. Woltman |
| author_sort | Vera M.A. Broks |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The prevalence of medical students’ mental distress is high. While schools apply various methods to select a well-performing and diverse student population, little is known about the association between different selection methods and the well-being of these students during medical school. The present retrospective multi-cohort study assessed whether students selected by high grades, assessment, or weighted lottery showed different stress perception levels in Year-1 of medical school. Methods Of 1144 Dutch Year-1 medical students, 650 (57%) of the cohorts 2013, 2014, and 2018 who were selected by high grades, assessment, or weighted lottery completed a stress perception questionnaire (PSS-14). A multilevel regression analysis assessed the association between selection method (independent variable) and stress perception levels (dependent variable) while controlling for gender and cohort. In a post-hoc analysis, academic performance (optimal vs. non-optimal) was included in the multilevel model. Results Students selected by assessment (B = 2.25, p < .01, effect size (ES) = small) or weighted lottery (B = 3.95, p < .01, ES = medium) had higher stress perception levels than students selected by high grades. Extending the regression model with optimal academic performance (B=-4.38, p < .001, ES = medium), eliminated the statistically significant difference in stress perception between assessment and high grades and reduced the difference between weighted lottery and high grades from 3.95 to 2.45 (B = 2.45, p < .05, ES = small). Conclusions Selection methods intended to create a diverse student population – assessment and lottery - are associated with higher stress perception levels in Year-1 of medical school. These findings offer medical schools insights into fulfilling their responsibility to take care of their students’ well-being. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:49:33Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-7b59d0cf31f3439bb101f95fc013ec15 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6920 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T04:49:33Z |
| publishDate | 2023-06-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Education |
| spelling | doaj.art-7b59d0cf31f3439bb101f95fc013ec152023-06-18T11:17:14ZengBMCBMC Medical Education1472-69202023-06-012311910.1186/s12909-023-04411-0The association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in Year-1 of medical schoolVera M.A. Broks0Karen M. Stegers-Jager1Suzanne Fikrat-Wevers2Walter. W. Van den Broek3Andrea M. Woltman4Institute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre RotterdamInstitute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre RotterdamInstitute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre RotterdamInstitute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre RotterdamInstitute of Medical Education Research Rotterdam, Erasmus MC University Medical Centre RotterdamAbstract Background The prevalence of medical students’ mental distress is high. While schools apply various methods to select a well-performing and diverse student population, little is known about the association between different selection methods and the well-being of these students during medical school. The present retrospective multi-cohort study assessed whether students selected by high grades, assessment, or weighted lottery showed different stress perception levels in Year-1 of medical school. Methods Of 1144 Dutch Year-1 medical students, 650 (57%) of the cohorts 2013, 2014, and 2018 who were selected by high grades, assessment, or weighted lottery completed a stress perception questionnaire (PSS-14). A multilevel regression analysis assessed the association between selection method (independent variable) and stress perception levels (dependent variable) while controlling for gender and cohort. In a post-hoc analysis, academic performance (optimal vs. non-optimal) was included in the multilevel model. Results Students selected by assessment (B = 2.25, p < .01, effect size (ES) = small) or weighted lottery (B = 3.95, p < .01, ES = medium) had higher stress perception levels than students selected by high grades. Extending the regression model with optimal academic performance (B=-4.38, p < .001, ES = medium), eliminated the statistically significant difference in stress perception between assessment and high grades and reduced the difference between weighted lottery and high grades from 3.95 to 2.45 (B = 2.45, p < .05, ES = small). Conclusions Selection methods intended to create a diverse student population – assessment and lottery - are associated with higher stress perception levels in Year-1 of medical school. These findings offer medical schools insights into fulfilling their responsibility to take care of their students’ well-being.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04411-0Selection methodsStress perceptionAcademic performance |
| spellingShingle | Vera M.A. Broks Karen M. Stegers-Jager Suzanne Fikrat-Wevers Walter. W. Van den Broek Andrea M. Woltman The association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in Year-1 of medical school BMC Medical Education Selection methods Stress perception Academic performance |
| title | The association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in Year-1 of medical school |
| title_full | The association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in Year-1 of medical school |
| title_fullStr | The association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in Year-1 of medical school |
| title_full_unstemmed | The association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in Year-1 of medical school |
| title_short | The association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in Year-1 of medical school |
| title_sort | association between how medical students were selected and their perceived stress levels in year 1 of medical school |
| topic | Selection methods Stress perception Academic performance |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-023-04411-0 |
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