This article in the NYT called “Medical Student Distress and the Risk of Physician Suicide” covers depression in student doctors, noting that pre-meds enter medical training with mental health profiles similar to those of their peers but end up experiencing depression at greater rates.Training is generally awful. (Why would anyone want to spend the majority of his/her time working and not sleeping?) Now that I am past my training and have many friends and colleagues who also are, I have the perspective to say that it gets better.

Please consider talking to a physician-mentor at your institution if you are feeling blue. If you are depressed, seek mental health help. (I have heard students say they are worried this will show up on their academic records, which is not accurate.) Knowing that you are not alone and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel can make a big difference.