The Ripple Efect Mentorship in Medicine:
Mitigating Isolation For Student Success
by Temiloluwa A. Haastrup, M2
An Epidemic of Loneliness
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the“ epidemic of loneliness” has swept across the nation, impacting all ages, races and genders alike. As I was reading an article written by the Harvard Graduate School of Medical Education addressing the rising concern about how isolation and normalizing reclusiveness impacts our youngest and most vulnerable population, I was touched by the actionable piece of advice addressed to adults and teachers. It said,
“ Adults also need to help children develop the capacities and skills they need to have friendships – guiding children in listening, in asking questions, guiding them in checking for understanding when they’ re talking to people. Those kinds of relationship skills can help a lot.” 1
While the average medical student is no longer a child, the symbolism of an isolated learner and a helpful mentor rang true to the reality of medical students, the needs of medical students and the invaluable role of mentors.
The Silent Struggle
As much as medicine is a people-centered profession, the journey thus far has proved to be more isolating than connecting. Technology has placed a premium on“ efficiency” in a way that boils the educational experience down to the question of“ How fast can I learn this material?” and inevitably replaces the time previously spent surrounded by classmates to time feeding artificial intelligence algorithms, as a tradeoff for personalized education. The vast majority of classes are empty, and even in libraries or coffee shops where students tend to congregate, students still often go home and feel like they are carrying the weight of growth alone. The workload is heavy, the expectations are often unspoken and the pressure to“ keep up” can quietly convince students that everyone else knows what they are doing. Moments like these are far too common among medical students.
Studies in most recent years link an increased risk of burnout among medical students starting at 22 % first year, and increasing to approximately 80 % by fourth year. 2 Although the rate of medical student dropouts has maintained steady over the years, reasons of high stress and burnout account for two-thirds of the cause. Factors such as lack of self-care, fear of mistakes and high workload / expectations contribute to burnout, and then dropout. In an Association of American Medical Colleges( AAMC) article addressing this concern, a fourth-year student describes how the excitement and pure joy she experienced post matriculation was quickly replaced by fear and anxiety, leading to the all too familiar“ medical student crash out.” 3 The most notable aspect of her recovery was when she enrolled in a mentorship program at her university. She stated,“ It’ s easy to feel like you’ re alone, but just talking
10 LOUISVILLE MEDICINE