Medical students’ quality of life

does the learning environment matter?

Abstract

Introduction: Medical students’ quality of life and mental health may affect their academic performance and their attitudes towards medical care. Recent evidence shows a preponderant role of the learning environment in the quality of life of medical students. This study aimed to assess Brazilian medical students’ quality of life throughout all years of medical school. Methods: Cross-sectional multi-centric study with the use of a quality of life questionnaire, validated for specific use among health sciences students (Veras-q). RESULTS: From a random sample of 1,650 students, 1,350 (81.8%) participated in the study. Cronbach’s alpha coefficients for Veras-q domains ranged from 0.77 to 0.82. Female students had lower scores on physical, psychological and time management domains of quality of life compared to male students (p<0.05; d<0.5). Perceptions of quality of life on the learning environment were also lower among students in the final years of medical school (p<0.001; f<0.25), especially among female students (p<0.001; f= 0.22). CONCLUSIONS: Female students showed worse perception of quality of life than their male counterparts. Students from more advanced years of medical school, especially women, also showed lower perception of quality of life in the learning environment domain. Institutional interventions directed to students at higher risk of low quality of life should be implemented and evaluated in further studies. This study demonstrates the impact of the learning environment on medical students’ quality of life, suggesting that institutional interventions designed to improve students’ well being such as the supporting networks must be adequately implemented and assessed.