Promoting Access To Mental Health Services And Self-Care For Podiatry Students

For this month’s DPM Blog, I have the privilege of highlighting the efforts of two of my distinguished colleagues at Temple University’s School of Podiatric Medicine (TUSPM), Namrata Daru and Joshua Stewart. Namrata is the Class of 2019 President and Joshua is President of the student chapter for the American College of Foot and Ankle Pediatrics. Beyond their accolades, these two individuals are recognized for expending a tremendous amount of energy and time advocating for increased access to mental health services on campus.

As a future physician, you will likely foster thousands of relationships with patients. While there is no doubt that the ways in which you foster those relationships will have a great impact on your life, the words of behavioral scientist Steve Maraboli still ring true: “The most powerful relationship you will ever have is the relationship with yourself.”

Like Mr. Marboli, Namrata and Joshua view the personal well-being of each student as a powerful tool, not only for self-empowerment but for the healthcare experience as a whole.

“We take an oath which states we will do no harm to our patients. Being able to take good care of others requires us to take care of ourselves first. Ethically, we should be paying attention to our physical fitness and mental wellness,” explains Namrata.

In December 2016, a systematic review and meta-analysis in the Journal of the American Medical Association looked at about 129,000 medical students from close to 200 studies and found that 27 percent of students were either depressed or exhibited symptoms of depression.¹

It was no surprise to Joshua, who frequently cites the extensive research on this matter, when he discovered the high prevalence of mental health concerns among his colleagues. He explains that, like traditional medical school, the podiatric medical school journey itself plays uniquely into the conversation on mental health.

“During the didactic aspect of our education, grades, class rank and board exams are common stressors,” acknowledges Joshua. “It is easy to be sad, lack confidence, and be exhausted. In addition, the large financial burden that most of us are bearing causes anxiety.”

However, as the journey evolves, so do the anxieties. “One faculty member is even working on research to delineate specific stressors through the years of podiatric medical school to find the most helpful times to intervene,” adds Namrata.

Namrata is referring to TUSPM’s Andrew Meyr, DPM, whose team has surveyed students from each class to objectively measure their stress levels and identify factors that might potentially contribute to those findings. A very timely and necessary study, Dr. Meyr’s research shows that although podiatric medical students experience a higher mean stress level than the average population, these levels seem to decrease over time as the journey through podiatry school progresses.

The nature of the medical school experience normalizes the idea of personal compromise. At some point, most medical students have come across the humorous triangle diagram with “social life,” “enough sleep” and “good grades” written at each point of the triangle and the words “choose only two!” embedded in the center. That sort of culture has perpetuated an environment in which a medical student is willing to put self-care last in the scheme of priorities. For these reasons, Namrata and Joshua were concerned that students may not be able to find the time commitment to make the trip to the main campus for counseling services.

Since Namrata and Joshua have brought this issue to light, they have received an outpouring of support from colleagues and clinicians. Joshua Moore, DPM, the Assistant Dean of Educational Affairs, reached out to staff from the Psychological Services Center at Temple University to brainstorm potential solutions that may cater to the podiatry campus and there are now efforts taking place to create group therapy sessions best suited for the needs of TUSPM students.

As they soon enter their fourth year of podiatry school, I asked Namrata and Joshua to share some advice for students who may be experiencing difficult times.

“Find somebody you trust and talk to them. If you see somebody who may be struggling, ask him or her about it. The more open student doctors and practicing physicians are about this issue, the more the stigmas and fallacies associated will it dissipate. Perhaps equally as important, find something else you enjoy doing and make that a priority in your life alongside school,” advises Joshua.

“You are going to get through this. Don't let one quiz, test, class or semester keep you from being the best version of yourself. With each day that passes, you are one step closer to achieving your goals. Make yourself a priority,” adds Namrata.

As they gave an update at our last student government meeting on their latest successes in raising awareness, Namrata and Joshua received a round of applause for their efforts, the effects of which their junior colleagues will likely benefit from first. In my opinion, their selfless desire to pay it forward will transcend the hallways of our institution. Our profession is very tight knit with only nine podiatric medical schools and about 2,400 students at any given time.

If you are one of those students reading this piece, I hope their story inspires you to leave your mark. Above all, in your journey to offer a healing touch to humanity, I hope you can find the time to care for yourself. 

"Self-care isn't selfish. You cannot serve from an empty vessel.” — Eleanor Brownn

Reference

1. Rotenstein LS, Ramos MA, Torre M. Prevalence of depression, depressive symptoms and suicidal ideation among medical students: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Am Med Assoc. 2016; 316(21):2214–36.

Follow the author on Twitter at @RamiBasatneh.