Alarm over mounting academic pressure on young medical students and a call for early mental health screening dominated deliberations at the Discipline Specific Faculty Council (DSFC) in Psychiatry held on Thursday at the University of Health Sciences (UHS).
The forum, hosted by the faculty of Allama Iqbal Medical College, brought together psychiatry teachers from affiliated institutions across Punjab to share evidence, case experience and practical ways to support students before distress turns into crisis.
Prof Sadia Yasir, Head of the Department of Pulmonology at Jinnah Hospital Lahore, termed the initiative a timely opportunity for collective reflection by senior faculty and drew attention to the pressures faced by newly inducted MBBS students.
Referring to rising reports of self-harm and academic stress, she stressed the need for a structured assessment of first-year students before the start of academic activities to identify red flags and enable timely intervention.
Dr Fatima Saleem, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at Allama Iqbal Medical College, presented a case of self-inflicted harm involving a first-year medical student. The case, participants agreed, highlighted how sudden escalation in workload and intense competition can overwhelm students who lack effective coping strategies. Local and international studies shared during the discussion showed that stress levels peak in final-year students, pointing to a cumulative burden that worsens over time.
Faculty members were unanimous that early identification and monitoring of high-risk students could prevent escalation. Prof. Sadia Yasir shared findings from a screening study conducted at AIMC, which found that around two per cent of newly inducted MBBS students fell into a high-risk category for clinical distress requiring continuous follow-up.
Participants underlined the need to implement existing government and PMDC requirements for appointing student counsellors in every institute. At the same time, they cautioned against singling out students in a way that could stigmatise them, proposing support groups as a safer space for students to speak openly. Suggestions also included orientation workshops for students and parents, and faculty development programmes to help teachers recognise early signs of mental health problems.
Concluding the session, UHS Vice Chancellor, Professor Ahsan Waheed Rathore, emphasised the importance of closer engagement between faculty and students to build a strong professional foundation.
