Study Finds Two Thirds of Brazilian Medical Students Experience Moderate to Severe Depression

A study published in the Brazilian Journal of Psychiatry reveals that 66 percent of medical students in Brazil exhibit symptoms of moderate to severe depression. Conducted by researchers from the Center for Research and Innovation in Mental Health (CISM), the study surveyed 1,026 students across 74 public and private institutions between September 2023 and September 2024. Additionally, 50.5 percent of the participants showed symptoms of anxiety.

These figures exceed global estimates for medical students, where depression and anxiety rates are reported at 27.2 percent and 33.8 percent, respectively. The most frequently cited stressor among students was a lack of time, followed by academic performance, relationships, health concerns, and learning difficulties.

Psychiatrist Rodolfo Furlan Damiano, one of the study's lead researchers, attributed the issue to a hidden curriculum where suffering and time scarcity are naturalized as part of medical training and passed down through generations. The research utilized standardized tools including the PHQ-9 for depression, the GAD-7 for anxiety, the JHLES for learning environment perception, and the MSSF for stress factors.

The findings indicated a disparity between types of institutions. Students at private universities reported a more positive learning environment, specifically regarding the academic climate and relationships with professors. In contrast, students at public universities reported higher levels of stress related to evaluations and grades.

Natália Barros, a third year student at Unifesp, exemplifies these findings. She reports experiencing fatigue, sleep disturbances, and loss of appetite due to the demands of her course. She also noted difficulties communicating with professors during her first two years and observed a competitive atmosphere where students sometimes refuse to share study materials.