Williams Sandy M, Arnold Pauline K, Mills Jennifer N
Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, 6150, Australia.
J Vet Med Educ. 2005 Summer;32(2):201-12. doi: 10.3138/jvme.32.2.201.
Students in veterinary schools can experience stress in balancing the different demands on them-academic, interpersonal, intrapersonal, and professional or work related-as well as managing potential conflict between animal and human interests. Practicing veterinarians report many similar stressors and reactions. Stressful stimuli produce stress reactions that can be inimical to physical and psychological well-being, and students' performance in veterinary programs can be adversely affected if they do not have coping resources. While there has been some research into stress among university students in general, and among medical students in particular, there is little on the experience of veterinary students. This article describes a study by the School of Psychology, commissioned by the Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, at Murdoch University in Western Australia. It was designed to investigate the levels and causes of stress among, and the frequency and type of coping strategies used by, fourth- and fifth-year students. Results indicate that the students in this cohort faced frequent stressors and felt at least moderately stressed but did not routinely and systematically use a range of coping strategies. Academic stressors and perceived responsibilities attached to moving into practical or professional areas figured strongly and were associated with higher levels of stress in the students, in particular physical sequelae. Though the numbers were small, it is of concern that some students were using measures that were potentially harmful. Some recommendations are made here about measures that veterinary programs may be able to incorporate to address stress in their students. Information is included on current strategies within the curriculum to manage potential stressful situations as part of students' professional development.
兽医学院的学生在平衡学业、人际、个人内心以及专业或工作相关等不同方面对他们的要求时会感到压力，同时还要处理动物和人类利益之间潜在的冲突。执业兽医也报告了许多类似的压力源和反应。压力刺激会产生对身心健康有害的应激反应，如果学生没有应对资源，他们在兽医学课程中的表现可能会受到不利影响。虽然总体上对大学生的压力，特别是医学生的压力已有一些研究，但对兽医专业学生的经历研究甚少。本文描述了西澳大利亚默多克大学兽医临床科学系委托该校心理学院进行的一项研究。该研究旨在调查四、五年级学生的压力水平和成因，以及他们使用应对策略的频率和类型。结果表明，这一届学生经常面临压力源，至少感到中度压力，但并没有常规且系统地使用一系列应对策略。学业压力源以及进入实践或专业领域所感知到的责任影响很大，并且与学生更高水平的压力相关，特别是身体上的后遗症。尽管人数不多，但令人担忧的是一些学生正在使用可能有害的措施。本文针对兽医课程可以采取的应对学生压力的措施提出了一些建议。还介绍了课程中当前将管理潜在压力情况作为学生专业发展一部分的策略。
