What is Medical Student Syndrome?
Medical student syndrome (also known as second-year or intern syndrome) is a common psychological condition among medical students. Young people tend to attribute diseases, pathologies, and any deviations studied in college or university. In other words, students studying smallpox, bird flu, cholera, or dysentery may think they have some or all of the symptoms of these diseases.
What Is the Trigger for the So-Called Medical Student Syndrome?
Currently, there is no consensus among scientists according to the primary source of this syndrome. Some researchers believe that intern syndrome is the result of excessive academic activity. Students spend a lot of time reading books, affecting their perception of new information. In addition, there is an opinion that the projection of symptoms inside the student’s consciousness gives them an understanding of how the disease proceeds. At the same time, many young people believe in their illnesses.
But some scientists believe that medical student syndrome is a natural reaction of student bodies when studying dangerous diseases. It is hypothesized that students may fear contracting smallpox, anthrax, or other diseases and try to identify symptoms as early as possible, given access to books and guides. If you have become one of those faced with a similar syndrome, you should take an academic break. Relax and delegate your papers to someone. Perhaps you should find a reliable nursing essay writing service to take your mind off the educational process.
What Factors Influence the Intensity of the Medical Student Syndrome?
As a rule, at least 70% of medical students feel the symptoms of such a syndrome. One of the reasons is hypochondria or the fear of contracting some illness. Young people do not want to interrupt their academic progress, and their brains visualize their worst phobias. Also, previous experience affects what diseases are visualized in your brain. For example, you could have had purulent tonsillitis a couple of years ago. What if you study such a disease in college? Surely you will be afraid of repeating your negative experience.
How to Get Rid of Such a Syndrome?
Such a task is not trivial, even for experienced doctors. The fact is that first, you need to make sure that you do not have a disease. Visit a doctor if you doubt the reality of your illness. The next step is self-hypnosis. Try to program your mind and remember that your symptoms do not relate to reality. Finally, try to think rationally and assess the likelihood of getting sick. It is unlikely that you can catch smallpox or anthrax anywhere on campus.
Tips To Avoid Medical Student Syndrome
Surely you are confused and do not know how to cope with such a syndrome. Luckily, some tips help you say no to medical mimicry.
Rationality & Knowledge
First, you should take a rational approach and ignore false symptoms. Try to learn all the nuances of the course of the disease and evaluate the degree of your symptoms. Do it before asking anyone to help you. You may be worried about the academic load and copy symptoms.
Get Used To It
Such a syndrome is a very common problem, so you don’t have to worry about it. Instead, get used to the fact that you will copy the syndromes of the diseases you study. Think of such situations as a deep study of ailments and an attempt to understand the essence of medical processes.
Preventative Measures
Sometimes, you will need to adhere to the classic personal safety methods. For example, use sanitizer and protective masks. Follow the rules of hygiene and use protective clothing during laboratory tests. You also need to follow the instructions to succeed in your academic process.
Final Words
As you can see, medical student syndrome is a common problem for many students. At the same time, you don’t have to worry about experiencing the symptoms of the disease you are studying. In most cases, you will encounter illusions created by your brain. That is why you should not panic: follow all the above tips.
In addition, you need to understand that only critical thinking and self-discipline will help you say no to self-hypnosis and panic. Finally, do not forget that you are unlikely to get any serious illnesses due to studying academic secrets in the library. So keep calm, and you will see that your fears are in vain.