Posted by SLS on May 4, 2011, at 6:14:06
In reply to Re: School and psychiatric illness » mtdewcmu, posted by SLS on May 4, 2011, at 6:09:38
> > > More alarming is that, after accidents, suicide is the most common cause of death among medical students.
> >
> > That statistic is not that alarming, because accidents and suicide are the leading killers of everyone at that age (http://www.cdc.gov/injury/wisqars/pdf/Death_by_Age_2007-a.pdf). I don't mean to rip on your article, Scott, but I hate dumb statistics.
>
> I understand. I guess the statistic that I found pursuasive was:
>
> "Depression is even more common in medical students and residents, with 15-30% screening positive for depressive symptoms"
>
> This is in comparison to 10% of the general population. What we don't know is if the statistic described by the article is either:
> 1. Lifetime prevalence.
> 2. 12 month prevalence.
>
> http://www.nimh.nih.gov/statistics/1MDD_ADULT.shtml
>
> Despite debatable statistics, I really believe (at least for now) that the chronic stress of medical school and residency precipitates MDD at a greater rate than what is seen in the general population.It occurs to me that the statistic cited by the article is latitudinal, not longitudinal. I believe this is a valid criteria for comparing populations.
- Scott
Some see things as they are and ask why.
I dream of things that never were and ask why not.
poster:SLS
thread:984211
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/20110502/msgs/984511.html