Introduction:

Data published in literature point to an increased frequency of psychological distress among medical students. However, the causes or potentially contributory factors for this scenario are not completely understood. Understanding these factors is essential for planning a support service that welcomes, identifies, monitors and, if necessary, guides the student with mental suffering.

Methods:

We evaluated the pre-university admission mental health treatment report on medical students at the Federal University of Minas Gerais who sought care at the Psychopedagogical Support Center. These data, as well as demographic data and the reasons that led the student to seek the service were obtained from an enrollment form filled out by the student.

Results:

A total of 87 students (47 males, mean age 23.3 years) were received support from the NAPEM in the year under study. Of those, 42 (48.3%) were in the first two years of the course, 24 (27.6%) in the 3rd/4th year and 21 (24.1%) in the 5th/6th year. Mental Health treatment prior to university admission was reported by 53 (60.9%) students: 37 (42.5%) reported the use of psychoactive drugs and 16 reported psychotherapies without the use of medication. Mental Health treatment and medication prior to university admission were significantly more frequent (p = 0.04 and p = 0,04, respectively) among students in the first two years of the course than among those in other years. No statistically significant differences in relation to the average age (p = 0.06), distribution by sex (p = 0.87), origin (p = 0.68) or type of housing in Belo Horizonte (p = 0.96) were found when comparing those who had undergone psychic treatment with those who had not. Anxiety, depression/depressive symptoms and mood swings were reported by 59 (67.8%) students as reasons to seek help. Problems related to the course were reported by five (5.7%) students.

Conclusion:

The results of the present study suggest that Mental Health treatment prior to university admission may be one of the factors that contribute to the medical student’s mental suffering during the course.

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