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The Medical Student CHANGE Study used validated measures to assess mental health symptoms, burnout, self-esteem and sense of belonging among students attending a stratified random sample of 49 medical schools. The table below presents mean scores broken down by race and ethnic subgroup. See the main web page for the CHANGE Study for information on methods and measures.
On all measures, students who identified as Black had less favorable scores than their white counterparts. Students that identified as White had the highest sense of belonging in their school as compared to students of any other race and ethnicity.
Race and Ethnicity Differences* in Mental Health, Well-being & Sense of Belonging at the End of 4th Year of Medical School (n=3973)
Results from the Medical Student CHANGE Study (CHANGES) www.changestudy.org
Symptoms of Fatigue
Symptoms of Depression
Burnout
Global Self Esteem
Feelings of Belonging in their Medical School
Race and Ethnicity
(higher score = more fatigue)
(higher score = more depression)
(higher score = more burnout)
(higher score = more self esteem)
(higher score = more belonging)
White, Non-Hispanic (n=2506)
Mean
2.3556
1.6299
4.0696
6.1250
3.8540
Std. Deviation
0.812
0.748
1.529
1.013
0.878
Black, (Including Black + any other) (n=224)
Mean
2.573
1.804
4.260
5.930
3.513
Std. Deviation
0.866
0.859
1.440
1.196
0.927
Hispanic, White (n=213)
Mean
2.489
1.598
4.258
6.105
3.722
Std. Deviation
0.836
0.745
1.517
0.988
0.994
South Asian (n=386)
Mean
2.552
1.979
4.309
5.652
3.651
Std. Deviation
0.915
1.010
1.605
1.223
1.026
East Asian (n=541)
Mean
2.421
1.796
4.261
5.863
3.669
Std. Deviation
0.833
0.872
1.565
1.122
0.940
Other (n=103)
Mean
2.623
1.907
4.291
5.819
3.482
Std. Deviation
0.942
1.036
1.535
1.344
1.026
Total (n=3973)
Mean
2.410
1.702
4.146
6.023
3.773
Std. Deviation
0.837
0.818
1.538
1.081
0.922
*All differences are statistically significant p<.05
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