Resilience and Coping Strategies in Undergraduate Medical Students in India

Abstract

This chapter investigated to assess the resilience and coping skills in MBBS students and to find the correlation between them. Resilience is an essential aspect of wellbeing that plays a major role in undergraduate medical education. Various personal and social factors are known to affect resilience. Empirical evidence remains limited regarding resilience and the personal factors that affect it among undergraduate medical students in an Asian setting. M.B.B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery) is a challenging period for personal, academic & professional growth of a student.

We conducted this cross sectional study with 250 M.B.B.S. students in a medical college recognized for undergraduate and post-graduate studies. The undergraduate curriculum of M.B.B.S. (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) under the medical university includes 4.5 years of teaching and one year of rotatory internship. Statistical analysis was done using mean, standard deviation, chi square test, t test, Pearson’s correlation, regression analysis and ANOVA wherever needed.

Out of 250 participants 43.2 % mentioned that they study 11-20 hours per week, 28.4% were studying <10 hours/week whereas 20% said they study for 21-30 hours/week. 39.2% of the participants spent 41-50 hours/week in sleeping, 26.8% were sleeping for 31-40 hours/week whereas 16% were sleeping for just less than 30 hours/week. Mean resilience score was 5.02 with no significant gender differences. First and second year students as well as interns scored far higher on resilience. Students who scored higher on the resilience scale used problem solving as a primary coping mechanism. Participants who had strong bonds with their family, friends, and teachers exhibited a higher level of resiliency.   Additionally, medical students need assistance in skill development.  Goal-setting, time management, work-life balance, clever study techniques, communication skills, relationship management, and reflection skills are some of the strategies that can be designed. Solving problems having better relationships with people, and having less academic stress all have a beneficial impact on resilience. Emotion-based coping, exposure to stressful situations, the need for more time to recuperate, addiction, and increased academic stress all have a negative impact on it.