An interprofessional approach in reducing the stress levels of first year medical students

Background: Medical education is perceived as being stressful, and a high level of stress may have a negative effect on cognitive functioning and learning of students in a medical school. Aims and Objectives: 1. To assess the stress levels in first year MBBS students. 2. Evaluate the effects of yogic techniques on their stress levels. Materials and Method: This cross-sectional study was conducted among first year medical undergraduates. Institutional ethics committee clearance was obtained before beginning the experiments. A total of 100 1st year medical students from Kasturba medical college Mangalore were the participants in this study. Stress levels were assessed using perceived stress scale questionnaire. Yogic techniques were given for a period of 6 weeks and post intervention stress levels were assessed using student t test. Statistical package SPSS version 17.0 was used to do the analysis. Significance of the test was set at P<0.05. Results: The overall response rate was 95%. The mean perceived stress score was 20.5 ± 3.36. In the high stress group average score was 22.84 ± 2.39 where as in the low stress group they had an average score of 15.8 ± 2.56. The stress levels were significantly higher in the high stress group. Yoga intervention significantly(p<0.0001) decreased the stress levels in the high stress groups from mean perceived stress scale score of 23.69(pre intervention) to 19.72 (post intervention) when compared to the low stress groups. Conclusion: From the present study it is concluded that yogic intervention helps in reducing stress in medical students.