TIPS FOR MANAGING STRESS IN MED SCHOOL.

o Talk with family and friends about your priorities, and about what you need (and dont need) in order to succeed in medical school. Establish boundaries early to manage excessive demands from others. Set a schedule for sleep, nutrition, exercise, studying, socializing, and relaxing. Priorities should be first on doing what you need to do to take care of yourself. Your second priority should be on your studies. Also schedule study breaks to effectively manage attention and memory. Your body is not a study machine it needs care and rest. You need periods of relaxation for your brain to function optimally in learning. Get to know others who share your goals, who have qualities which you admire, and who are willing and able to provide the support you need. Monitor for stress and seek preventative help if you experience time management problems, social isolation, concentration difficulties, physical or emotional symptoms. Seek early assistance problems become more difficult to manage late in the semester. Dont wait to seek help until you are failing a class!

For more information on stress management, visit the Wellness Counseling Office.

American University of the Caribbean School of Medicine WELLNESS COUNSELING SERVICES

STRESS MANAGEMENT RESOURCES

o American Medical Student Association (AMSA) Wellness Resource Guide for Medical Students at http://www.amsa.org/pdf/wellness.pdf o Taylor, S.E. Health Psychology (4th ed.). Boston: McGraw-Hill. o Danek, J. The Med School Survival Guide. New York: Three Rivers Press.

Stress Management in Medical School

AUC Wellness Counseling Office Bullpen #3, Tien Wellness Center Phone: 545-2298, Ext. 273
Business Hours: 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday and Friday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday Call/stop by for appointments Drop-in Hours: 7-9 a.m. Monday and Friday 5-7 p.m. Wednesday EMERGENCIES: Call mental health consultant on-call at 554-0265

AUCMED #1 University Dr. at Jordan Rd. Cupecoy, St. Maarten, N.A. Phone (011) 599 545-2298 Fax (011) 599 545-2440 Updated 11/21/2007

relaxing moments you utilized previously in achieving a difficult goal: 1. Relationships. Forming and maintaining relationships with others can provide four types of support that buffer stress: emotional support (support for what you are feeling/experiencing), appraisal support (support to help you make sense of the things that happen to you), informational support (support in the form of shared experiences from others who have encountered/conquered what you are going through), and tangible support (direct support or resources such as a ride when your car breaks down, a loan when you need money, etc.). 2. Routines. Having an established routine for self-care can help buffer stress, as well. Especially important to students are routines for sleep, nutrition, exercise and study. This is not the time to stop taking medications or to make big life changes. A haphazard approach to self-care takes its toll both emotionally and academically in medical school, where your brain has to manage a lot of change and ambiguity. 3. Relaxation. The human body and brain needs some time to recuperate and recharge through relaxing and enjoyable activities. Schedule brief breaks and engage in a hobby to recharge your drained batteries. Examples of relaxation techniques are deep breathing, yoga, progressive muscle relaxation, or taking a few minutes to imagine being in a comfortable and safe place. In applying the R formula, you might notice that each component affects the others. Spending time with friends that

WHY CAN SOME PEOPLE HANDLE STRESS SO WELL?

People who handle stress well tend to know their strengths and how to use their strengths effectively. They also tend to be aware of their limits, using support and resources to effectively compensate. This process becomes especially important for survival in medical school, where there are many demands on the person, and fewer supports and resources offered along the way. Fortunately, stress management is a skill that can be acquired and applied with some practice. Wellness Counseling is available to students for assistance in evaluating personal strengths and resources, and setting up a personalized plan for wellness in medical school and beyond. Brief seminars and workshops, support groups, and individual/family counseling are offered to assist students to achieve and maintain a balance during their studies. Services are confidential and free of charge.

share your goals can make it easier to maintain your routine. Pursuing a healthy interest can introduce you to other people who might provide good support.

ADULT APGAR SCORE

While it might be difficult to decide when to seek help, the Adult Apgar Score can help you monitor how you are doing (AMSA, 1997). For each statement below, score 2 if
almost always, 1 if some of the time, and 0 if hardly ever. ____1. I am satisfied with the ACCESS I have to my emotionsto laugh, to be sad, to feel pleasure or anger. ____2. I am satisfied that my lifes PRIORITIES are mine and clearly reflect my values. ____3. I am satisfied with my commitment to personal GROWTH, to initiate and embrace change. ____4. I am satisfied with the way I ask for ASSISTANCE from others, professionally and personally, when in trouble. ____5. I am satisfied with the RESPONSIBILITY I take for my wellbeing, physically, emotionally and spiritually. If your total score is 9-10, your wellness status is superior; 6-8, you have some imbalances and stresses that need attention and you most likely already know what you need to do; 5 or less, you are in significant need of major changes to bring your life back into focus and you can do this through wellness counseling, a support group, individual work or reading. (AMSA, 1997)

MEDICAL SCHOOL AND STRESS MANAGEMENT

There are three basic ingredients to successful stress management in medical school. These are easily recalled by remembering this formula: R. Consider for a moment the relationships, routines and