Prevalence and Predictors of Stress Among Medical Students in Jordan: A Multi-centric Cross-sectional Study

IntroductionStudying medicine is a stressful process due to its long duration, rigorous requirements, and extensive curricula. This fact alerts us to the detrimental effects it has on medical students' mental and physical health, as well as their cognitive and learning functions and ultimately the general patient care provided to the public.AimWe aimed to identify the prevalence of stress, its associated factors, and predictors among medical students in Jordan.MethodsA cross-sectional study among medical students from six medical schools in Jordan. Participants completed the Medical Students Stressors Questionnaire (MSSQ-40), which identifies 40 different sources of stress group in six main domains. Results are presented as mean +/- standard deviation for all participants and subgroups.ResultsOur study included 1819 medical students. We found that medical students in Jordan are suffering from moderate-to-severe levels of stress. The most stressful domain among medical students was academic-related stressors (ARS). Students experience slightly more stress during their clinical years than during their pre-clinical years. Male gender, monthly family income of less than 400 JOD, and rural place of origin were associated with higher levels of stress in pre-clinical years. However, female gender was associated with higher levels of stress in clinical years.ConclusionStress among medical students is a tremendous issue and concern that needs to be addressed wisely by medical schools and healthcare systems. We recommend medical schools implement flexible scheduling, offer time management workshops, provide installment-based tuition plans, and expand career counseling to ease financial and academic pressures. These measures could significantly enhance student well-being and promote a more balanced educational experience.