Almost six in ten medical and nursing students in the UK are struggling with their mental health – with some saying they are considering quitting the profession before they have even qualified.
New research, by Elsevier Health, a scientific research group, found 57 per cent of trainees say they are anxious about their mental health, while a fifth are contemplating dropping out of their undergraduate degrees.
Researchers three-quarters of medical and nursing students in the UK are worried about how healthcare staff shortages will affect their future careers.
Researchers polled just over 2,200 students around the world – with 325 UK students surveyed.
Anjola Awe, a third-year medical student at King’s College London, told The Independent she was considering quitting the NHS and contemplating other areas of work.
The 20-year-old said: “I speak to lots of medics who are considering leaving – my default is assuming most people are. Understaffing definitely plays a role but not for why you might think, the issue is why is it understaffed?
“Why are people leaving? That seems like a red flag. I’m not just thinking about picking up the extra work.”
Ms Awe, who is interested in plastic surgery and sexual and reproductive health, said a colleague had just been telling her about how she is looking at work outside medicine.
“You will have doctors encouraging you to look at other options which are not going into the NHS. Mostly they suggest you go to work as a doctor in Australia or Canada.
