Introduction:

Medical school is renowned for a high prevalence of mental disorder diagnoses among students. Admission and training are marked by countless lifestyle changes that can influence the mental health of the individual.

Objective:

To understand how medicine students who report psychiatric care feel, and also to identify aspects that influence their own mental problem.

Methods:

This study is a qualitative research developed from semi-structured and audio-taped interviews. Participants were selected through the snowball technique, in which the first participant was invited to recommend another student and so on, building a chain of reference. The inclusion criteria were: to be a medical student; to attend psychiatric care and to voluntarily accept participation. The audio-recorded material was fully transcribed and converted into narratives for subsequent categorization and content analysis.

Results:

Seven interviews were analyzed, and the experiences reported pointed to mental suffering that accentuated throughout the medical course. Receiving the diagnosis of mental disorder and undergoing psychiatric and psychological care were described as moments of relief and greater self-understanding. However, the students’ own prejudices about mental problems and the perception of this stigma in their surroundings were recognized as a reason for not seeking help earlier.

Conclusion:

The experiences of medical students who face mental suffering shed light on the degree of stigma even among students of a course in which greater knowledge and openness regarding the subject are expected. This remains a challenge to be overcome.

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