Abstract :
Introduction: Medical student during undergraduate course of 4=1/2 years including 1-year internship study
hard, tirelessly for longer periods of day or night and often work beyond their mental threshold and physical
strength resulting in stress. The present study was designed to evaluate and compare the stress status among
first and second year MBBS students.
Materials and Methods: 160 (62 males and 98 females) first (n=90) and second (n=70) year healthy
MBBS students were enrolled for this study. Cardiovascular parameters like pulse rate (PR), systolic blood
pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), Cognitive function tests like auditory reaction time (ART)
and visual reaction time (VRT) and Stress score (by stress questionnaire) was evaluated and compared in
presence of examination (pre-examination) and during absence examination (post-examination, 10-15 days
after pre-examination). Data obtained from this study was analysed by Instat Graph Pad using paired t-test.
Results: All parameters studied in this study were increased in almost all students during pre-examination.
In females compared to males all parameters were significantly less in pre-examination except PR (i.e.
less SBP, DBP, less cognition function that means high ART & VRT and less stress score). During postexamination
study comparison between males and females, difference of means of parameters were not
significant except VRT (Visual reaction time was high in females). Cognition function was less in females
as compared to males in both pre as well post examination.
Conclusion: Students were in stress with increased all cardiovascular parameters, cognitive parameters
and stress score. This may affect the performance and can produce anxiety and/or depression subsequently.
Students who are at risk of excessive stress should be identified and faculties should help them to deal the
examination stress, anxiety or depression effectively and the earliest.
Keyword :
Cardiovascular parameters, Cognitive parameters, Stress scores, Undergraduate medical students.