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Thirty-seven percent of pre-med students "seriously considered" changing their plans because of the stress associated with being pre-med, according to a Kaplan Test Prep survey of 400 students who had taken the MCAT.
The survey found more than a quarter (26 percent) of pre-meds surveyed say they experience stress “pretty much always,” while 45 percent say they experience it “frequently.” Twenty-eight percent say “occasionally,” while only 1 percent say “never.”
In addition, 57 percent say “self-medicating” (with alcohol and other drug use) is a common problem among their pre-med peers who are trying to deal with stress.
Jeff Koetje, director of pre-health programs at Kaplan Test Prep, said in a statement, “Between long hours in the lab, late nights studying for challenging courses like organic chem, studying for the MCAT, and thinking about how to finance medical school, life as a pre-med can be more than challenging. But when a pre-med’s stress becomes chronic and overwhelming, it’s essential they seek professional help, or at the very least speak with someone they know and trust like a family member, friend, or advisor."
